The White House doesn't see a potential conflict of interest in President Trump asking former FBI Director James Comey if he was under investigation when he was wondering if he should let Comey stay on in his job.

White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders said it was OK that Trump asked Comey on three different occasions if he was under investigation in the bureau's White House probe into connections between Trump's campaign and Russia. Any interaction between Trump and Comey about an ongoing investigation involving the Trump campaign is breach of Justice Department protocol, according to experts.

Sanders said she saw no potential conflict of interest in the move.

"I don't see that as a conflict of interest and neither do the many legal scholars or others that have been commenting on it for the last hour," she said.

Trump told NBC Thursday he had asked Comey multiple times if he was under investigation, including during a dinner the two had when Trump was deciding if he should keep Comey on the job.

Comey said in March the FBI is investigating possible links between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.