<blockquote>ABC’s JON KARL: I want to get back to James Comey’s testimony. You suggested he didn’t tell the truth in everything he said. He did say under oath that you told him to let the Flynn — you said you hoped you could let the Flynn investigation go.
TRUMP: I didn’t say that.
KARL: So he lied about that?
TRUMP: Well, I didn’t say that. I will tell you. I didn’t say that.
KARL: And did you ask you to pledge loyalty?
TRUMP: And there would be nothing wrong if I did say it read today but I did not say that.
KARL: And did he ask you for a pledge of loyalty from you?
TRUMP: No, he did not.
KARL: So he said those things under oath. Would you be willing to speak under oath and give your version of those events?
TRUMP: 100%. I hardly know the man. I’m not going to say I want you to pledge allegiance. What would do that? Who would ask a man to pledge allegiance under oath? Think of that. I hardly know the man. It doesn’t make sense. No, I didn’t say that, and I didn’t say the other.</blockquote>
The only context I can think of is he answers the question then goes back to rant about he original question, mixing "under oath" in there for some reason.
Trump is talking about what he would say under oath.
1. That's not what was asked.
2. If that's what he'd say under oath then it still doesn't fit. Ex:
"Mr. President, did you ask for loyalty from former director James Comey?"
"I hardly know the man. I'm not going to say I want you to pledge allegiance. Who would do that? Who would ask a man to pledge allegiance under oath? Think of that. I hardly know the man. It doesn’t make sense. No, I didn’t say that, and I didn’t say the other."
Still doesn't make sense.
Trump is talking about what he would say under oath. He is responding to the question "Would you be willing to speak under oath" which immediately preceded his response, not the question you made up, and not the question trekky made up on the previous page. Read the transcript. It's right there in your quote. It's right there. Why would you just make things up?
Trump first mocks the assertion of demanding a pledge of allegiance from someone you barely know and then questions why he would go under oath and announce that he demanded allegiance from someone he barely knew. It is a ridiculous scenerio to ask for allegiance from someone you don't know. He never asked for that, and he wouldn't say that he did under oath.
You said he was talking about what he'd say under oath so I asked a hypothetical question he'd get if under oath and it didn't help.
See, MOST of what he said sounds like that. Just a normal Trump rant about how he didn't say he asked for loyalty. It's that "under oath" sentence that mucks it up.
"Who would ask a man to pledge allegiance under oath?"
Is the whole sentence.
If he's saying what he'd say under oath, why put a question? That makes no sense. Nor does it even fit if you put it into a statement. If you remove the "under oath" part, it all fits fine. But those two words just don't make sense in the context of the rant.
He's ranting about how he wouldn't ask for loyalty. But where does "pledge allegiance under oath" fit? If you're answering a question while under oath, you wouldn't ask a question, would you? And if he's describing the exchange between him and Comey, why add those two words in there?
All signs point to "Trump thought Comey said he(comey) was under oath while talking to the president".