WASHINGTON A pair of bombshell reports on Friday threaten to overshadow President Donald Trump s first overseas trip and further embroil his administration and presidency in scandal.

The New York Times reported Trump told Russian officials that he felt great pressure because of Russia that he said was taken off when he fired FBI Director James Comey. Minutes later, the Washington Post reported that investigators are looking at a close Trump adviser as part of their probe into possible ties between Russia and Trumps campaign.

Trump met with Russian officials on May 10 after firing Comey the evening before. At the meeting, Trump told them he was not under investigation and bashed Comey, the Times reported.

I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job, Trump said, according to notes of the meeting read to the Times.

Trump and the White House have repeatedly contradicted themselves over the reasoning for Comeys firing, which took place as he led a probe into Russian influence into the U.S. election and potential ties to his campaign. The New York Times report is further evidence that Trump fired the FBI director at least in part to end the investigation something thats only served to bring more attention to it.

The White House did not refute the Times report, but press secretary Sean Spicer said it wasnt the real story.

The President has always emphasized the importance of making deals with Russia as it relates to Syria, Ukraine, defeating ISIS and other key issues for the benefit and safety of the American people, Spicer said in a statement.

By grandstanding and politicizing the investigation into Russias actions, James Comey created unnecessary pressure on our ability to engage and negotiate with Russia, Spicer continued. The investigation would have always continued, and obviously, the termination of Comey would not have ended it. Once again, the real story is that our national security has been undermined by the leaking of private and highly classified conversations.

Not only did firing Comey not get investigators off Trumps back, but the investigation into possible ties between Russia and his campaign also includes a close adviser, the Washington Post reported , citing unnamed officials.

Key targets of the investigation until now have reportedly included former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and also former Trump campaign honcho Paul Manafort, two people who were part of Trumps campaign but are not currently part of the administration. Flynn resigned in February after having lied to investigators about his contacts with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak, who was one of the Russian officials Trump met at the White house on May 10.