Trump schedules speech during Comey testimony

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has scheduled a speech addressing religious conservatives around the same time that former FBI director James Comey is expected to testify before Congress.

The Faith and Freedom Coalition’s “Road to Majority” conference announced Tuesday that the president had agreed to address the annual gathering Thursday.

Faith and Freedom spokesman Lance Lemmonds says the president is expected to speak at 12:30 p.m. EDT.

Comey is scheduled to testify Thursday before the Senate intelligence committee beginning at 10 a.m. that day.

His appearance will mark Comey’s first public comments since he was abruptly fired by the president last month.

Other speakers expected to address the Faith and Freedom event are Vice President Mike Pence, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.