James Comey explains notes on Trump meetings: 'I was honestly concerned he might lie'

FBI director James Comey began documenting his one-on-one meetings with the president-elect right away because he didn't trust him.

Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee that he began compiling notes about those meetings after speaking to Donald Trump at Trump Tower during the transition period -- and he told them why.

"I think the circumstances, the subject matter and the person I was interacting with," Comey said. "First, I was alone with the president of the United States, the president-elect, soon to be president. The subject matter, I was talking about matters that touch on the FBI's core responsibility and that relate to the president-elect personally. Then the nature of the person. I was honestly concerned he might lie about the nature of our meeting, so I thought it really important to document."

He continued to keep notes, some of which have been revealed since his abrupt firing last month -- and he said that was an unusual practice for him.

Comey told congressional investigators that he did not keep notes for his private meetings with former presidents George W. Bush or Barack Obama, because he didn't feel the need.