Across the country this friday night, tornado watches and white out conditions. Rob marciano with the new track. The actor will ferrell hospitalized after a highway crash. News on his condition. Right here in beirut what happens when we go looking for a boy you met right here four years ago. Good evening tonight from beirut, the region bracing for any possible u. S. Military strike that could be coming against syria. All of this as the white house trying to stem the fall out from something else. James comey first interview since being fired by the president. The former fbi director describing in stunning and graphic detail the conversations he said he had with the president , the private dinner and the unverified dossier comey said the president was fixated on. Tonight what we never heard from james comey before one on one with george stephanopoulos. Reporter as you headed into trump tower that day, were you nervous . Yes. Reporter fbi director james comey was with a group of Intelligence Agency heads briefing the president elect and his top aides on how the russians interfered in our election. President elect trumps first question was to confirm that it had no impact on the election and then the conversation, to my surprise, moved into a pr conversation about how the trump team would position this and what they could say about this. They actually started talking about drafting a press release with us still sitting there and the reason that was so striking to me is that is just not done, that the Intelligence Community does intelligence, the white house does pr and spin. Reporter you also said you were struck by what they didnt ask. Very much. No one to my recollection asked so what whats coming next from the russians . How might we stop it . Whats the future look like . It was all, what can we say about what they did and how it affects the election that we just had. Reporter comey says he then asked to meet alone with trump to warn him about that now infamous steele dossier unverified information on trumps ties to russia including allegations of trumps encounters with prostitutes in moscow. Im about to meet with a person who doesnt know me, was just elected president of the United States. By all accounts, and from my watching him during the campaign could be volatile. And im about to talk to him about allegations that he was involved with prostitutes in moscow and that the russians taped it and have leverage over him. Did you tell him the dossier had been financed by his opponents . No. I dont think i used the term steele dossier. Did he have the right to know that . That it was financed by his political opponents . I dont know the answer to that. It wasnt necessary for my goal. How graphic did you get . I think as graphic as i needed to be. I started telling him about the allegation was that he had been involved with prostitutes in a hotel in moscow in 2013 during a visit for the Miss Universe pageant. And that the russians had filmed the episode, and he interrupted very defensively, and started talking about do i look like a guy who needs hookers and i i assumed he was asking that rhetorically. I didnt understand that. I just moved on and explained, sir, im not saying we credit this, im not saying we believe it. We just thought it very important you know. Reporter did you tell him you thought it wasnt true or you didnt know if it was true or not . I never said i dont believe it, because i couldnt say one way or another. Reporter how weird was that briefing . Really weird. It was almost an outofbody experience for me. I was floating above myself looking down saying youre sitting here briefing the incoming president of the United States about prostitutes in moscow. Reporter comey says that on january 27th, at a private dinner in the white house, President Trump raises the issue again. He says he may want me to investigate it to prove that it didnt happen and then he says, something that distracted me. He said if theres even a 1 chance my wife thinks thats true, thats terrible. And i remember thinking, how could your wife think theres a 1 chance you were with prostitutes peeing on each other in moscow . Im a flawed human being, but literally zero chance my wife would think thats true. What kind of marriage to what kind of man does your wife think theres only a 99 chance you didnt do that . And i said to him, sir, when he started talking bit, i may order you to investigate that. I said, sir, thats up to you but youd want to be careful about that because it might create a narrative that were investigating you personally and, second, its very difficult to prove something didnt happen. Reporter did you believe his denial . Honestly, never thought these words could come out of my mouth, but i dont know whether the current president United States was with prostitutes peeing on each other in moscow in 2013. Its possible but i dont know. George is with us from new york. Troid to hear a former fbi director talk about a sitting president in this way. You were telling us comey said the president kept going back to the dossier and those accusations. Again and again and again david. Not only in the first meeting they had but in subsequent phone calls and subsequent meetings at the white house as well. It certainly seemed to be an obsession of the president. Comey said at one point he wanted him to investigate this. Just extraordinary to hear the detail of those conversations with the president that a sitting fbi director never thought he would have. George, for many people watching this tonight hearing comey talk in those terms and in such detail has to be somewhat stunning. I cant only imagine what it was like for you. Ive done a lot of interviews david. Ive never done one like this. It was intense and several hours long. Everybody in the room even comeys team even comeys wife were surprised by what they were hearing over those hours. This is a man who has a lot to say. In some ways a man on the mission. Hes going to get a lot of criticism on both sides but hes determined to go forward with this and set the story straight from his perspective. All right, george. Thanks so much. We should note george will have much more of his exclusive interview with james morning sunday morning on this week and the full interview sunday night here. In the meantime the president s reaction to james comeys words have been swift and fierce. The president calling comey a weak and untruthful slime ball. Cecilia vega is at the white house. Reporter a seething President Trump today launched an all out assault on his former fbi director. Calling james comey a proven leaker and liar. Saying he leaked classified information, for which he should be prosecuted. And thats not all, comey, the president said, is an untruthful slime ball whose handling of the crooked Hillary Clinton case will go down as one of the worst botch jobs of history. His aides jumping in the fray, press secretary Sarah Sanders had a written statement ready to go. Reporter the president came out swinging today calling james comey a liar, a leaker, a slime ball. Is he worried about what hes saying . Not at all. The American People see right through the blatant lies of a selfadmitted leaker. Reporter in his new book comey calls the Trump Presidency a forest fire and the president ego driven. He goes after trump writing the president s face appeared slightly orange with bright white half moons under his eyes where i assume he placed small tanning he does what a lot of people do these days, which is take unnecessary immature potshots at the president s appearance. Reporter but on the very day the president blasted comey as a liar and a leaker, he pardoned Scooter Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President dick cheney. Convicted of lying to the fbi in the investigation into the leaked identity of a covert cia operative. The explanation from white house aides. You know many people think that Scooter Libby was the victim of a special counsel gone amok. Reporter and from the president himself i dont know mr. Libby, but for years i have heard that he has been treated unfairly. Lets get to cecilia vega live at the white house. The president fuming over what james comey is now saying. We have reported in the broadcast that comey had broad support among the fbi rank and file. There are some critics in the Law Enforcement community. David there are some in the Law Enforcement community that feel this was an inappropriate tell all. I asked one white house official the President Trump views this as a betrayal. The response james comey is selling books and the president has a different recollection of what happened. David. Thank you cecelia. With the president tweeting about comey and the white house fighting back, the president at the same time is right now deciding whether to launch a military assault of syria. Tonight u. S. Military assets are on the move in the region. Martha raddatz on what shes learned tonight. Reporter late meetings at the white house today, with National SecurityCouncil Members huddled to finalize what kind of punishing action to take against syria. This as u. S. , french and british warships and warplanes prepare for a potential attack. A strike, some 48 hours ago President Trump warned was coming with missiles that are nice and new and smart. Trump later dialed back the urgency, something his un ambassador defended today. You dont rush decisions like this, if you rush decisions like this you make a mistake. Reporter but haley said there was no mistake about what happened and who was responsible. Did a chemical weapon attack happen . Yes, the u. S. Has analyzed, yes it has happened. Reporter after greeting her russian counterpart again today, haley gave a sharp rebuke over the russians denial the syrians waged a chemical attack. I started to listen to my russian friend and respond, but instead, im in awe, vasily, of how you say what you say with a straight face. I really, really am. Martha raddatz back with us live tonight. Martha despite dialing back the president s urgent timeline, this still looks eminent . It does david. President trump is not going to let assad go unpunished for such a horrific crime, not to mention for doing again exactly what he was warned not to do. David. Martha raddatz with us all week. As the u. S. Prepares for a possible military assault after the suspected chemical weapons attack, theres word from russia. They say the russians and this chemical attack was an elaborate set up. What they claimed really happened. Abcs James Longman in beirut. Reporter russia has consistently claimed these horrific images of the suspected chemical attack were staged, now theyre going even further. The Defense Ministry today showing footage of two men, it claims, are paramedics who saw a group run into that hospital with video cameras and start screaming about a chemical attack. They say the group whipped up a panic, getting patients to pour water over each other, and then somehow disappeared. Without offering any proof, the russians claiming they were white helmet volunteers, the wellknown humanitarian group whove saved so many syrian lives. And that they were being directed by British Intelligence russia and syria have taken control of the site of that attack a team of International Inspectors just hours away. James longman with us here tonight. The russians claim it was all a set up. How do they explain the horror in those images and the death count that came from the attack . Exactly. Over 40 people died in this attack. Its not just the u. S. , but france and britain saying something must be done. Hard to see how a claim like this will stop any action. James thank you. Much more ahead on world news tonight friday. Were tracking major storms sweeping across the country. Tornados and white out conditions. Rob marciano standing by. We have news on President Trumps personal lawyer and friend Michael Cohen now asking a judge to protect the evidence swept up in those fbi raids. What happened today . The actor will ferrell hospitalized tonight and the major highway crash he was involved in. We have news on his condition tonight. Only prolia® helps strengthen bones by stopping cells that damage them with 1 shot every 6 months. Do not take prolia® if you have low blood calcium, are pregnant, are allergic to it, or take xgeva®. Serious allergic reactions, like low blood pressure; trouble breathing; throat tightness; face, lip or tongue swelling, rash, itching or hives have happened. Tell your doctor about dental problems, as severe jaw bone problems may happen or new or unusual pain in your hip, groin, or thigh, as unusual thigh bone fractures have occurred. Speak to your doctor before stopping prolia®, as spine and other bone fractures have occurred. 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Reporter tonight, a court battle over materials swept up in the fbi raids targeting the president s personal attorney, Michael Cohen. His home, office, hotel room, and safety deposit box searched. Tonight, abc news learning recordings were also seized. Investigators looking for information about possible secret deals made outside the campaign to protect donald trump. Reporter mr. Cohen why did they raid your office and hotel room . Reporter cohens attorneys arguing, they should decide which items should go to investigators and which one should be protected by Attorney Client privilege. The president s attorney, agreeing, speaking of the exceptional nature of cohens client. The president himself. But prosecutors say they have their own separate team to decide what is privileged. They also say theyve already used a warrant to search cohens emails covertly and found little to no legal work and zero emails exchanged with President Trump. In other words prosecutors say Attorney Client privilege should not be in play. Reporter david, sources telling abc news tonight that President Trump and Michael Cohen remain in contact, and spoke today, and that cohen still represents the president. David. Thank you. When we come back here tonight the major storms sweeping across the country this friday evening. Tornado watches at this hour. Rob standing by. More on will ferrell hospitalized tonight after that major crash. News on his condition after the break. He break. Before you and your rheumatologist move to another treatment, ask if xeljanz xr is right for you. Xeljanz xr is a oncedaily pill for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well. It can reduce pain, swelling and further joint damage, even without methotrexate. Xeljanz xr can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious, sometimes fatal infections, lymphoma and other cancers have happened. 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