U.S. Secret Service says it does not have any White House tapesJune 13, 2017 - 10:11 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. Secret Service said Monday, June 12 it does not have any audio recordings or transcripts of U.S. President Donald Trump's White House conversations, AFP reports. After Trump again intimated last week that he could have recorded his controversial discussions with fired FBI director James Comey, it remained unclear if that claim was true. The issue could be crucial for the president amid allegations -- though not formal accusations -- that he has sought to obstruct the investigation into possible collusion by his advisors in Russian interference in last year's presidential election. The Secret Service, which protects the president and his family, maintained a secret taping system for the White House in the eras of John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. But in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from The Wall Street Journal, the agency said it did not have any such records for the Trump administration. "It appears, from a review of Secret Service's main indices, that there are not records pertaining to your request," the agency told the Journal in a letter. On May 12, three days after he fired Comey, Trump suggested in a tweet that he had recorded their private discussions with Comey. The claim came in response to reports, since confirmed, that Comey himself had kept detailed notes on those discussions in which, he alleges, Trump demanded a pledge of loyalty and pressed the then-FBI director to pull off on an investigation into Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Viva-MTS: Tech solutions to modernize infrastructure of border village The border village has been the focus of Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values since 2015. Ucom's fixed network launched in Artashat To mark this occasion, the company has introduced a special offer exclusively for Artashat residents. “By Your Side”: IDBank's new support program for displaced Artsakh citizens IDBank is launching a long-term social support program for forcibly displaced Artsakh residents. The Power of One Dram to benefit Road of Life charity The companies inform that the May beneficiary of The Power of One Dram is the “Road of Life” charitable organization. |