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group what they thought about FBI Director Comey.156 According to Director of National Intelligence Dan

Coats, who was at the dinner, no one openly advocated terminating Comey but the consensus on him was

not positive.157 Coats told the group that he thought Comey was a good director.158 Coats encouraged

Hicks 12/8/17 302,, at 7, 10. ‘56 Coats 6/14/17 302, at 2. ‘57 Coats 6/14/17 302, at 2. ”3 Coats 6/14

‘59 Coats 6/14/17 302, at 2.

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On March 22, 2017, the President asked Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats and CIA Director

According to senior ODNI official Michael Dempsey, Coats said after the meeting that the President had

to “do something to stop it.”340 Dempsey said Coats made it clear that he would not get involved with

6/14/17 302, at 3; Culver 6/14/17 302, at 2. 335 Coats 6/14/17 302, at 3. 3‘36 Coats 6/14/17 302,

at 3. 33" Pompeo 6/28/17 302, at 1.3. 338 Coats 6/14/17 302, at 3. 339 Dempsey 6/14/17 302, at 2.

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with the President, on the walk from the Oval Office back to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Coats

what he could do to “help with the investigation.”342 Another ODNI staffer who had been waiting for Coats

outside the Oval Office talked to Gistaro a few minutes later and recalled Gistaro reporting that Coats

On Saturday, March 25, 2017, three days after the meeting in the Oval Office, the President called Coats

6/ 14/ 17 302, at 4. 345 Coats 6/ 14/ 17 302, at 4; Dempsey 6/ 14/17 302, at 3 (Coats relayed that

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and did “not recall ever feeling pressured to do so.”354 In addition to the specific comments made to Coats

, said he had done nothing wrong, and said something like the “Russia thing has got to go away.”358 Coats

recalled the President bringing up the Russia investigation several times, and Coats said he finally

. 3“ Gistaro 6/14/17 302, at 1. 357 Pompeo 6/28/17 302, at 2. 35“ Rogers 6/12/17 302, at 6. 3'59 Coats

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Analysis In analyzing the President’s reaction to Sessions’s recusal and the requests he made to Coats

Some ODNI officials recalled that Coats told them immediately after the March 22 Oval Office meeting that

the President asked Coats to intervene with Comey and “stop” the investigation.

Coats recalled that the President asked that Coats state publicly that no link existed between the President

But the President’s intent in trying to prevent Sessions’s recusal, and in reaching out to Coats, Pompeo

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The President told Coats he “can’t do anything with Russia,” he told Rogers that “the thing with the

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On June 14, the Office interviewed Coats and other personnel from his office.

Coats 6/14/17 302, at 1; Gistaro 6/14/17 302, at 1; Culver 6/14/17 302, at l. 5‘” Ruddy 6/6/18 302,

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could include his request for Comey’s loyalty; his request that Comey “let[] Flynn go”; his outreach to Coats

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Coats, Dan Cobb, Ty Cohen, Michael Comey, James Jr. U.S.

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Dempsey, Michael Office of Director of National Intelligence official who recalled discussions with Dan

Coats after Coats’s meeting with President Trump on March 22, 2017.