Office, the President called Coats and again complained about the Russia investigations, saying words to the effect of, “I can’t do anything with Russia, there’s things I’d like to do with Russia, with trade, with ISIS, they’re all over 344 me with this.” Coats told the President that the investigations were going to 345 go on and the best thing to do was to let them run their course. Coats later testified in a congressional hearing that he had “never felt pressure to intervene or interfere in any way and shape—with shaping intelligence in a political way, 346 or in relationship . . . to an ongoing investigation.” On March 26, 2017, the day after the President called Coats, the President 347 called NSA Director Admiral Michael Rogers. The President expressed frustration with the Russia investigation, saying that it made relations with the 348 Russians difficult. The President told Rogers “the thing with the Russians 349 [wa]s messing up” his ability to get things done with Russia. The President also said that the news stories linking him with Russia were not true and asked 350 Rogers if he could do anything to refute the stories. Deputy Director of the NSA Richard Ledgett, who was present for the call, said it was the most unusual 351 thing he had experienced in 40 years of government service. After the call concluded, Ledgett prepared a memorandum that he and Rogers both signed documenting the content of the conversation and the President’s request, and 352 they placed the memorandum in a safe. But Rogers did not perceive the President’s request to be an order, and the President did not ask Rogers to push 353 back on the Russia investigation itself. Rogers later testified in a congressional hearing that as NSA Director he had “never been directed to do anything [he] believe[d] to be illegal, immoral, unethical or inappropriate” and 354 did “not recall ever feeling pressured to do so.” In addition to the specific comments made to Coats, Pompeo, and Rogers, the President spoke on other occasions in the presence of intelligence community officials about the Russia investigation and stated that it interfered 355 with his ability to conduct foreign relations. On at least two occasions, the President began Presidential Daily Briefings by stating that there was no collusion with Russia and he hoped a press statement to that effect could be 356 issued. Pompeo recalled that the President vented about the investigation on multiple occasions, complaining that there was no evidence against him and that