Of this world. And, Jillian Michaels score. Early today starts right now. Happy friday. Great being with you. Im frances rivera. The world certainly reacting after new details from President Trump throw the entire James Comey Firing ordeal into further chaos. Headlines from the New York Times and the guardian say it all. In the president s interview with lester holt mr. Trump discussed for the first time his decision to fire the fbi director revealing the true motivation behind his decision even contradicting his own Vice President and closest staffers as he offered new details on his conversations with the former fbi chief. He raised eyebrows develop delving into the russian investigation. His stinging and perm rebuke of the now exfbi chief. Grandstander, the fbi has been in turmoil, you know that, i know that. Everybody knows that. You take a look at the fbi a year ago, it was in virtual turmoil. Less than a year ago. It hasnt recovered from that. Monday you met with the Deputy Attorney general rod rosenste rosenstein. Did you ask for a recommendation . What i did is i was going to fire comey. My decision. It was not you made the decision before. I was going to fire comey. Theres no good time to do it by the way. In your letter you said i accepted their recommendation. You made the decision. I was going to fire regardless. He made a recommendation, he is highly respected. Very good guy, very smart guy. The democrats like him, the republicans like him. He made a recommendation. But regardless of recommendation, i was going to fire comey. Knowing there was no good time to and in fact, when i decided to just do it i said to myself, i said you know, this russia thing with trump and russia is a made up story, its an excuse by the democrats for having lost an election, that they should have won and the reason they should have won it is the Electoral College is almost impossible for a republican to win. Very hard. Because you start off at such a disadvantage. So everybody was thinking they should have won the election. This was an excuse for having lost an election. Are you angry with mr. Comey because of his russia investigation . I just want somebody thats competent. I love the fbi. I like the people of the fbi. I think that about the Hillary Clinton investigation . No, about the russian investigation, and as far as im concerned, i want that thing to be absolutely done properly. When i did this now i probably maybe will confuse people, maybe ill expand that you know, ill lengthen the time because it should be over with, in my opinion should have been over with a long time ago because all it is is an excuse. But i said to myself, i might even lengthen out the investigation. But i have to do the right thing for the american people. Hes the wrong man for that position. Let me ask you about your termination letter to mr. Comey. You write i greatly appreciate you informing me on three separate occasions im not under investigation. Why did you put that in there . Because he told me that. I mean he told me. Told you you werent under investigation with regard to russian i heard that from others. In a phone call . I had a dinner. He wanted to have dinner. He wanted to stay on. He asked for the dinner . Dinner was arranged. I think he asked for the dinner. And he wanted to stay on as the fbi head. And i said you know ill consider. Well see what happens. But we had a very nice dinner and at that time he told me which i knew anyway. One meeting. What was the other two . Under investigation you are given all sorts of documents. I knew i wasnt under. And i heard it was stated at the committee, some Committee Level i wasnt. That didnt come directly from him. In a phone call and during another phone call he said it. Once at dinner, and then he said it twice during phone calls. Did you call him . In one case i called him. One case he called. Did you ask am i under investigation. I said if its possible would you let me know am i under investigation . He said you are not under investigation. But hes given sworn testimony that there is an Ongoing Investigation into the Trump Campaign and possible collusion with the russian government. You were the centerpiece of the Trump Campaign. All i can tell you i know i know im not under investigation. Me. Personally. Im not talking about campaigns, im not talking about anything else. Im not under investigation. Did you investigation . No. Never. Did anyone. In fact i want the investigation speeded up zblft any one from the white house ask him. No. Any surrogates. Not that i know of. Look, i want to find out if there was a problem with an election having to do with russia, or by the way, anybody else. Any other country. And i want that to be so strong and so good and i want it to happen. I also want to have a really competent capable director. Hes not. Hes a showboater. He is not my a man or not my man. I didnt appoint him. He was appointed long before me. But i want somebody who is going to do a great job, and i will tell you were looking at candidates right now who could be spectacular and thats what i want for the fbi. What you said a moment ago about supporting the idea of investigation, a lot of people would find it hard to believe that the man who tweeted recently its a total hoax, its a taxpayer sher raid. I think that looking into me and the campaign, look. I have nothing to do, this was set up by the democrats. There is no collusion between me and my campaign and the russians. The other thing is, the russians did not affect the vote. And everybody seems to think that. Were you angry with james comey when he went public and said he cant support your unsubstantiated wire tapping. I was surprised but i wasnt angry. There is a big thing going on right now which is spying and you can call it anything you want. The unmasking, and the spying, and to me thats the big story right now. Thats a very, very big story. You didnt take that as a sign of disloyalty. I dont think loyalty. I want whoever the director is do the right thing. What about when he went public there was an investigation looking at your campaign and russia . I ask that because anger here. No, no, i know once in a while youll see that in the newspaper, somebody will report or have false sources balls of the way the media is. I will tell you i think that i want very simply, a great fbi director. Will you expect they would continue on with this investigation . Sure. I expect that. Fallout from that interview this morning including revealing reports that call into question many of the claims you heard by the president himself. Well bring you those ahead. I want to turn to dangerous and Severe Weather including high winds that left a wave of destruction. Downed trees, houses and damaged throughout the tulsa area. Whs mothers day weekend . Lets ask meteorologist bill karins. How are we looking . Were tracking that storm. The storms last night are no longer severe. We go throughout the day today well watch these storms pushing into the southeast, a few strong storms maybe even couple severe, not widespread outbreak. By 8 00 p. M. You notice mississippi all the way through alabama, a lot of heavy rain through West Virginia and also into northern portions of virginia. Overnight heavier rains around washington, d. C. , saturday very rainy from d. C. To baltimore to philadelphia to new york city. Then through sunday into mothers day that heavy rain shifts into Northern New England with a little improvement in the midatlantic area during mothers day morning. Thats a look at the big weather story of the day. Now a closer look at the day ahead. You can see where the Stormy Weather will be, well dry out in dallas and san antonio and houston. The storms through alabama and louisiana, mississippi and tennessee this morning, georgia this evening. And Cool Temperatures a frances, well talk about the rest of the country coming up. After breakfast in bed you stay in bed in the jammies the entire day. Thats what you get. My kind of day. Thank you. Have you seen a horse fly . That sort of happened when our rescue crew had to lift this horse to safety. The animal and rider slipped 300 feet down a cliff. Crews had to sedate the horse. Luckily it didnt seem seriously hurt. The rider only suffered minor injuries. Stephen colberts reaction to Donald Trumps tweet. The incredible evolving story and background to the firing of james comey. Youre watching that here on early today on a friday. You help ensure that children in the u. S. And around the world are safe, healthy and educated. Es on to help end child poverty. Walgreens. At the corner of happy and healthy. vo more dper rollres for mom more doing chores for dad per roll more earning something you love per roll bounty is more absorbent, so the roll can last 50 longer than the leading ordinary brand. So you get more life per roll. Bounty the quicker picker upper. I never miss an early but with my back pain i couldnt sleep or get up in time. Then i found aleve pm. The only one to combine a sleep aid plus the 12 hour pain relieving strength of aleve. And now. Im back aleve pm for a better am. Fancy juice store . Ready, go hi, juice universe . One large rutabaga, with eggplant. Done thats not fair. Glad i had a v8. The original way to fuel your day. The president of the United States has permanently come after me and my show and theres only one thing to hehe. Mr. Trump, theres a lot you dont understand. But i never thought one of those things would be show business. Dont you know ive been trying for a year to get you to say my name. And you were very restrained admirably but now you did it. I won. Reacting in a way only he can to the president after mr. Trump blasted the comedian in an interview with Time Magazine saying quote you see a no talent guy like colbert, there is nothing funny about what he says. What he says is filthy. They were going to take him off. Then they started attacking me and he started doing better but his show was dying. Back to washington, thats the headline from the New York Times after the president s interview with lester holt. Which contradicted several assertions from white house staff and the Vice President including mr. James comey all along. Even the new yorker is jumping on board with this depicting President Trump and attorney general Jeff Sessions dragging former fbi director comey off a plane, harkining back to the United Airlines. The paper of record is demanding loyalty only for comey to decline telling the president he would instead offer honesty. While the president said that dinner took place at comeys request one official tells nbc news the meeting was at the request of the white house. Now harvard1÷ professor who represented al gore in the 2000 election says President Trumps actions are impeachable offenses. My loyalty is to the law and the constitution in which case again trump is guilty of attempting to subborn obstruction of justice. Either way, as with the first rt richard nixon, this is a series of high crimes and misdemeanors all by itself. This morning it is the shifting version of events the white house has been offering that has some worrying on capitol hill. Nbcs Hallie Jackson has more. Reporter in this tale of two days, the story keeps changing. Regardless of recommendation, i was going to fire comey. Reporter flash back to tuesday night when the white house said the president acted based on the clear recommendations of the department of justice. No one from the white house. That was a d. O. J. Decision. Reporter wednesday the Vice President reiterated rosensteins role. Because of the actions that the Deputy Attorney general outlined to act on the recommendations, to take the recommendation of the Deputy Attorney general. Reporter later a shift. Frankly he has been considering letting director comey go since the day he was elected. Reporter now, the white house deflecting questions on the revised rationale. Ul the president knew that director comey was not up to the task. He has absolute right to fire the fbi director for any reason. The problem is the inconsistent reasons being offered. Reporter mark warner alarmed that the president called comey a show boat. Frankly, im offended at the president s comments. In a Senate Hearing the acting fbi director defended the man he replaced. Director comey enjoyed broad support within the fbi. And still does to this day. Reporter at the white house a different story again. I heard from countless members of the fbi that are grateful and thankful for the president s decision. And i think that you know, we may have to agree to disagree. That was Hallie Jackson reporting. Details about a plane evacuated because of a scorpion. Then well tell you what led to a case of road rage caught on camera. And Jillian Michaels multimillion legal score. To brighten her wardrobe. Make baking easier with a kitchenaid artisan stand mixer. Add some fun to sunday brunch with a cuisinart waffle maker. And vera wang fragrance is just 29. 99. Plus take an extra 20 off sale prices when you spend 100 or more and, everyone gets kohls cash earn it on everything spend it on anything this thursday through sunday at kohls. Fortified. Tored. Replenished. Emerge everyday with emergenc packed with b vitamins, antioxidants, electrolytes plus more vitamin c than 10 oranges. Why not feel this good everyday . Emerge and see. Fromto the wobbling yogis. 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It was a chilling sight off the coast of california. A chopper spotted a bunch of sharks along the surf line. Attention in the water. You are paddle boarding next to 15 white sharkings. Thats the announcement. You see shadows of the 10foot long beasts. The swimmers were urged to exit calmly and quickly. Thankfully the sharks were not aggressive and everyone was cleared from the coast safely. Biggest loser trainer Jillian Michaels has come out as a winner after a 2year legal battle. The fitness expert sued the Entertainment Company for posting her workouts on youtube for free viewing. Michaels argued that offering the videos was driving fans from buying her content later on. She was landmark ruling. Road rage on camera. A pickup truck slams in front of a car, moments after police say the drivers got in a fight in the parking lot. The driver tells nbc he was just making a uturn. Then there he was right in front of me. I dont know if i hit the brake instead of gas. Police however say this was no accident and blankenship used his car as a weapon. He was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. Still to come steve harvey telling staff to keep out, stay away from him. And remember this sensation. How can we forget. Hes back with a brandnew single. That and much more next here on early today. Whos stared down the best in her sport. But for both of them, the most challenging opponent was. A dvt in my leg. I had to learn all i could to help protect myself. My doctor and i choose xarelto® xarelto®. To help keep me protected. Xarelto® is a latestgeneration blood thinner. Thats proven to treat and reduce the risk of dvt and pe blood clots from happening again. In clinical studies, almost 98 of patients on xarelto® did not experience another dvt or pe. Heres how xarelto works. Xarelto® works differently. Warfarin interferes with at least six bloodclotting factors. Xarelto® is selective. 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