Advisers and personal associates of President Trump have reportedly advised him in recent days to hire an outside lawyer as controversies surrounding his campaign's alleged ties to Russia mount.

The New York Times reported on Thursday that the president's aides became increasingly concerned about the revelation that former FBI Director James Comey maintained memos of his conversations with the president.

On Tuesday, news reports citing a memo Comey reportedly composed shortly after speaking with Trump in mid-February said that Trump urged Comey to "let go" of the investigation into his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn.

ADVERTISEMENT

Reports have indicated that Comey may have prepared other memos documenting his exchanges with the president.

The recommendations that Trump hire an outside attorney came before Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed a special counsel to oversee the FBI's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, the Times reported.

It is not unprecedented for a president to hire lawyers beyond White House counsel to help navigate potentially tricky and personal legal situations.

Former President Bill Clinton William (Bill) Jefferson ClintonD-Day for Trump: September 29 Trump job approval locked at 42 percent: Gallup If Trump doesn't know why he should be president again, how can voters? MORE, for example, hired lawyer David Kendall during the Whitewater scandal of the 1990s.

According to the Times, Trump has already signaled to some people that he will likely hire an attorney but has not yet reached a decision on that matter.