Donald Trump warns ex-FBI director James Comey about leaking to media

US President Donald Trump has tweeted that former FBI director James Comey "better hope" that there are no "tapes" of their talks.

He wrote early on Friday: "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!"

Mr Trump fired Mr Comey on Tuesday, later saying that "he wasn't doing a good job".

In the termination letter to Mr Comey, Mr Trump thanked him for telling him "three times" that he personally is not under investigation for collusion with Russia during his 2016 campaign.

He said in an NBC News interview on Thursday that Mr Comey told him once over dinner and twice by telephone that he is not under investigation.

The Fake Media is working overtime today!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017

Mr Trump showed no concern that the request might be viewed as interference in an active FBI probe.

Mr Comey has not commented since he was fired.

Mr Trump also reiterated his view that reports about collusion with the Russian government are "fabricated".

The president tweeted: "Again, the story that there was collusion between the Russians & Trump campaign was fabricated by Dems as an excuse for losing the election."

He added: "The Fake Media is working overtime today!"

...Maybe the best thing to do would be to cancel all future "press briefings" and hand out written responses for the sake of accuracy???

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017

AP