During today's press briefing, Sean Spicer again refused to comment on or clarify the official White House position when asked if Trump is taping his conversations in the White House.
After firing James Comey, Trump threatened Comey on Twitter on May 12th.
During last Friday's press briefing, Spicer refused to comment any further on the issue and replied, "I talked to the president, the president has nothing further to add on that."
Since then lawmakers such as Sen. Mike Lee, Lindsey Graham and Chuck Schumer have been requesting and inquiring about any Trump tapes to the extent they want to know if they exist.
During today's press briefing, reporters tried to get some sort of clarification out of the White House, but Spicer remained tight lipped and unresponsive as he was last week.
Alexis Simendinger was first to confront Spicer. "Several Republicans have joined Democrats in seeking additional information from the White House in writing about the existence of any tapes, producing the tapes and any further information about the potential taping of conversations."
"Is the White House intending to cooperate with those requests and furnish that information as requested in writing?," she asked.
Spicer replied, "I think I made it clear that the president has nothing further on that."
Alexis pressed, "Does that mean that the president will deny requests?"
Spicer, snapped, "I was very clear that the president would have nothing further on that last week."
"The president will defy the legislative branch's request?"
"Alexis, I made it clear he president's position on the issue."
Why won't the president comment on this any further? It's bizarre. This is one of the the only topics discussed up to this point in his presidency that the communications people and Trump haven't revised their talking points about.
They actually have no talking points other than, "no comment."
A few minutes later MSNBC's Hallie Jackson asked, "I'm looking for clarity on one of my questions. Why won't you just explain whether or not there are recordings...:
Spicer said, "Because the president has made it clear what his position is."
Jackson responded, "That's not my question, so why won't you explain?"
Spicer repeated his response again.
Jackson came back. "How is any senior official supposed to feel comfortable having a conversation privately with the president?"
"The president has made it clear what his position is. I have answered the question over and over again the same way."
Is Trump playing an intimidation game with his staffers and political colleagues to try and squash any more leaks coming out? Keep then guessing? Is that it? That will not fly too long.
And if that is the case, it's as lame as everything else he's tried so far because it ties the Richard Nixon moniker around his neck even tighter.
