President Donald Trump says "I know that I'm not under investigation" for collusion with Russia.
Trump detailed his conversations with former FBI Director James Comey, who he fired this week, in an interview with NBC News Thursday.
Trump said that he spoke with Comey once during dinner and twice in phone calls, during which time he says Comey told him "you are not under investigation."
He says he initiated one phone call, and Comey initiated the other.
In his termination letter to Comey, sent to reporters on Tuesday, Trump thanked him for informing him "three times" that he is not under investigation.
Trump says, "I know that I'm not under investigation. Me personally. I'm not talking about campaigns or anything else. I am not under investigation."
Trump also said that he had planned to fire Comey regardless of the recommendation from his deputy attorney general, contrary to earlier statements from the White House.
Trump says he had made up his mind to dismiss Comey before he met Monday with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
White House officials had said earlier in the week that Trump asked Sessions and Rosenstein for their opinions about Comey, and then Trump acted on those recommendations.
Earlier, acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe contradicted the White House claim that Comey had lost the support of rank-and-file members of the bureau.
The White House used that assertion to justify Comey's firing. But McCabe says the claim is not accurate. He says Comey "enjoyed broad support" within the agency and that he holds Comey in the "absolute highest regard."
He says it was the "greatest privilege" of his career to serve under him.
He also agreed to refrain from updating the White House about an investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election.
McCabe made the commitment under questioning Thursday at a Senate hearing.
He was made acting director Tuesday evening following the firing of director James Comey. Justice Department leaders are interviewing other contenders for the position.
McCabe earlier would not confirm President Donald Trump's assertions that Comey had told him multiple times that he was under investigation.
The committee's chairman, Rep. Richard Burr, asked McCabe if Comey had ever told Trump that he was not the subject of any investigation. In his letter Tuesday firing Comey, Trump said Comey had told him three times that he was not under investigation.
McCabe told Burr that he could not comment on any conversations between Trump and Comey.
Meanwhile, GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah says the next FBI director should be Merrick Garland - the federal judge nominated to the Supreme Court last year by President Barack Obama.
Garland never got a hearing due to Republican obstruction, and the high court vacancy was filled last month by Neil Gorsuch.
Lee says over Twitter that Garland could restore trust to the FBI after President Donald Trump fired Director James Comey.
Lee raised the idea directly to White House staff on Wednesday, according to an aide.
The proposal drew a positive reaction from one Democratic senator, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who praised it over Twitter.
There would be an important side benefit for Trump: A vacancy on the critical D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals which Trump could then fill.
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