washington u.s. president donald trump strike defiant tone thursday days political tumult deny ask former fbi director jam comey drop probe former national security adviser decry witch hunt trump terse denial follow report reuters media memo write comey allege trump make request close investigation michael flynn russia february trump fire comey may next question trump tell news conference white house ask way shape form ever urge comey end probe comey dismissal last week set series jar developments culminate wednesday justice department appointment special counsel probe possible tie russia trump 2016 presidential campaign include media report trump discuss sensitive intelligence islamic state militant group russia foreign minister pair morning twitter post late news conference republican president describe call leave impeachment ridiculous say do nothing warrant criminal charge entire thing witch hunt collusion certainly campaign always speak russians zero tell news conference stand alongside colombian president juan manuel santos early twitter post trump criticize name former fbi director robert mueller special counsel deputy attorney general rod rosenstein official appoint illegal act take place clinton campaign obama administration never special counsel appoint trump write thursday morning offer evidence act reference former democratic president barack obama former presidential candidate hillary clinton single great witch hunt politician american history trump tweet democrats reject trump characterization truth hunt say democratic senator amy klobuchar russia deny u.s. intelligence agencies conclusion interfere election campaign try tilt vote trump favor trump long bristle notion russia play role november election victory clinton trump fire flynn feb. 14 mislead vice president mike pence extent conversations last year russia ambassador reuters report thursday flynn trump campaign advisers contact russian officials others kremlin tie least 18 call email last seven months presidential race u.s. stock recover grind thursday upbeat economic data embolden investors return market day wall street saw big selloff eight months worry political turmoil could undermine trump initiatives tax cut investors see favor economic growth rosenstein justice department official name mueller amid mount pressure congress independent investigation beyond exist fbi congressional probe russia issue trump late tell news anchor white house mueller appointment negative thing add believe hurt country terribly show divide mixed-up not-unified country rosenstein brief senators thursday make public comment one attendees speak condition anonymity describe rosenstein anxious nervous say drink multiple glass water spill one afterward republican senator lindsey graham tell reporters everything say need treat investigation may criminal investigation self-described friend comey write public blog post thursday comey tell rebuff trump request loyalty promise honesty also tell trump perceptibly uncomfortable answer write benjamin wittes senior fellow brook institution critic trump say ever since president try chummy fashion comey felt design absorb trump world make part team democratic senator claire mccaskill say rosenstein tell senators know comey would fire write letter accuse missteps fbi director include handle election-year probe clinton use private email server secretary state white house initially say last week trump prompt fire comey read rosenstein letter trump late say already decide dismiss think russia thing new york time report thursday trump call comey weeks take office jan. 20 ask federal authorities go say trump investigation cite two people brief call comey tell trump contact directly fbi investigations follow procedure white house counsel ask justice department oversee fbi time report key issue mueller may tackle whether trump commit obstruction justice offense could use effort republican-led congress impeach remove office ask possible obstruction justice republican house representatives speaker paul ryan tell reporters special counsel would follow facts ever may lead premature prejudge anything point trump deny ask comey drop probe decry 'witch hunt