Trump asked Comey for loyalty at a dinner: Sources

President Trump asked former FBI Director James Comey more than once about whether he could be loyal over the course of a dinner meeting, according to sources familiar with the meeting.

Comey, who was fired from his high-ranking position Tuesday evening, only promised that he could be honest, the sources told ABC News.

The now-former director’s dramatic firing earlier this week has led to days of controversy and criticism about the future of the bureau and the ongoing investigation into possible collusion between the White House and Russia during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

The New York Times first reported on the dinner, saying that seven days after Trump was sworn in as president Jan. 20, Comey was summoned to the “White House for a one-on-one dinner with the new commander in chief.”

In his letter announcing Comey’s termination, Trump wrote that that he “greatly appreciated” Comey’s informing him on “three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation.”

White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders reiterated Thursday the president’s claim in his letter to Comey, despite denials from associates of the former FBI director, that he was reassured by Comey that he was not under investigation.

“I have heard that directly from him that information was relayed directly to him from director Comey,” Sanders said during the press briefing, noting that she got her information directly from the president.

In contradiction with the president, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said today on MSNBC that he couldn’t say whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians.

“I don’t know if there was collusion,” Clapper said. “I don’t know if there was evidence of collusion, nor should I have.”

ABC News’ Jonathan Karl, Jordyn Phelps and Alex Mallin contributed to this story.