The Problem with the Trump Tapes

James Comey called Donald Trump a liar. This has created the narrative that Donald Trump lies. Unfortunately, Donald Trump’s tweeting habits have boxed him into a box from which there is no easy way out for him. Soon after firing Comey, on May 12, Donald Trump tweeted; “James Comey hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!”

This tweet has led to the question of whether there are recording devices at the White House. Trump and surrogates have refused to confirm if meetings and telephone calls are recorded at the White House. Although Trump’s tweet does not specifically state that meetings between him and Comey at the White House were recorded, the tweet, nonetheless, has insinuated that there may be tapes.

Trump’s failure to answer directly whether recordings exist or whether there are recording devices at the White House has created the problem for Donald Trump of whether he is truthful or not. Coupled with James Comey tagging him as a liar, has boxed Trump into a box that is difficult for him to remove himself from.

1. The problem for Trump is that if there are no tapes then he makes himself out to be a liar by creating the illusion that there are tapes. His tweet was a lie. The Trump administration has agreed that Trump’s tweets are official statement and thus his tweet must be taken as an official statement by Trump.
2. If on the other hand, if Comey tapes exist then they must be released to the public. If the Comey recordings exist, then Donald Trump’s refusal to release them infers that they are detrimental to Donald Trump. Thus, they likely would also prove that Donald Trump lies.

But because politics brings out master spinmeisters, the Trump tweet gives us another possibility. That possibility is that some meetings are recorded by Trump – either through recording devices installed for that purpose or because Trump tapes them via portable recorders or through his smart phone. Depending on the narrative postured by Trump surrogates, this revelation may pull Trump out of the box he dug himself into through his tweeting or it may prove that James Comey was right about Trump’s lies. It is also the only explanation that may save him from the “liar” label that he is currently wearing because of Comey.

The news media is reporting that we may know as early as this week whether there are Comey tapes and whether meetings at the White House are recorded. It’ll be interesting to see what the facts are.