President Trump did not direct or order ex-FBI chief James Comey to drop the feds’ probe into Russian meddling into the US election, Comey testified Thursday.

But Comey said he interpreted Trump’s request – in which he said he “hoped” Comey would drop the matter – to mean that that’s what Trump wanted.

“I took it as a direction. He’s the president of the United States, with me alone, saying ‘I hope this [happens]’ I took it as this is what he wants me to do,” Comey told a Senate committee.

He also said that Trump never asked him to interfered in any bureau investigations beyond the probe into Russian meddling in the election.