Trump denies asking Comey to stop investigating Flynn

United States President Donald Trump has denied asking Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey to stop investigating former national security advisor Michael Flynn, saying "fake news" outlets were "covering another Comey lie."

"I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!" Trump tweeted.

In June, Comey testified before Congress that Trump pressured him during an Oval Office meeting in February to end the investigation into Flynn, reported the Hill.

Trump fired Comey from his post in May.

Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador in January, is the first member of Trump's administration uncovered by special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian attempts to influence last year's US presidential election.

The ex-National Security Advisor was forced to resign in February.

Trump, in an apparent shift, on Saturday tweeted that he had to fire Flynn because the retired Army general lied to Vice President Pence and the FBI.

"I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He has pled guilty to those lies. It is a shame because his actions during the transition were lawful. There was nothing to hide!" Trump tweeted.

Flynn is at the centre of a broader investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into the Russian meddling in the 2016 US Presidential election campaign.

Apparently, Mueller's team was seeking a deal of some kind to win Flynn's cooperation in that investigation.