Watch Replay: FBI Director James Comey Confirms Probe Into Russian Interference, Trump Links

The FBI is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 investigation, a probe that includes any possible links between members associated with the Donald Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any collusion, FBI Director James Comey confirmed at a highly anticipated hearing in front of the House Intelligence Committee on Monday.

Comey testified in front of the committee along with Adm. Mike Roger, the director of the National Security Agency.

Anticipation had been building into whether Comey would confirm the existence of an ongoing investigation or whether he would refuse to comment, possibly opening himself up to accusations of hypocrisy.

At the hearing, Comey said that as with any counterintelligence investigation, the investigation would also include an assessment of whether any crimes were committed.

Comey and Rogers also faced questions about the leaks of classified information that made their way into the media.

Here’s what you need to know about the hearing:

Investigation Into Links Between Trump Associates and Russia

Comey confirmed the investigation. He said it was not in the agency's practice to confirm the existence of ongoing investigations, especially those that involve classified information. However, he said there is an exception to the rule when the investigation is in the public interest. The investigation began in July, though it was not clear whether Comey was referring to the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the election or specifically the investigation involving Trump associates, and is in its early stages.

No Information To Support Wiretapping Claims

Comey said that he had no information that supports claims by President Trump, made in a series of early morning tweets, that President Obama had ordered Trump Tower be wiretapped.

Rep. Adam Schiff, a ranking member of the committee, read the series of tweets Trump sent while making the claims. Not only did Comey say there was no information to support the wiretapping claims, but he also said no president can order a wiretap of a U.S. citizen.

British Intelligence Did Not Surveil Trump

Rogers rebuked any claims that British intelligence may have been behind the surveillance of Trump Tower. Rogers said that at no point did the NSA ask British intelligence to conduct such surveillance.

Schiff asked Rogers if he agreed with the British, who called the claims "nonsense." Rogers said that he did. Asked if it hurts the relationship with the British, Rogers said that it "certainly frustrates a key ally" but that the relationship was strong enough to withstand such an incident.

Rogers was also asked whether Trump joking with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a public forum about them both being surveilled by President Obama was helpful. He said it certainly complicates things but that he believed the relationship with the Germans was strong enough to withstand this.

>>>Here's what White House press secretary Sean Spicer had to say about the hearing

Leaks of Classified Info

Members of the committee spent a significant amount of time discussing the leaks of classified information to members of the media who use anonymous sources in stories. Both Comey and Rogers agreed that the leak of classified information was a serious crime. However, Comey said that leaks had always been a problem but in recent weeks the leaks had been "unusually active."

Rep. Trey Gowdy, a Republican from South Carolina, brought up the names of a number of senior officials in the Obama administration, asking Comey if they had access to the intelligence that had been leaked. Among the names he brought up were James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, Susan Rice, Obama's national security adviser, and Loretta Lynch, the former attorney general. Comey said that like anyone in those positions, the officials named by Gowdy would have access to classified information.

Gowdy asked Comey whether reporters were an exception when it came to the "felonious dissemination of classified information." Comey said that was a harder question and one beyond his ken.

Pressed about whether there was exception in the statute for reporters, Comey said he was not aware of anything in the statute.

"I don't think a reporter's been prosecuted, certainly in my lifetime, no," he said.

Russia Will Be Back

Both Comey and Rogers agreed that Russia would not stop its interference into the U.S. election process.

"They'll be back, they'll be back in 2020, and they may be back in 2018," Comey said.

Comey said it was almost as through the Russians didn't care that the Americans knew they were interfering with the election. Though he couldn't say for sure, he said one of their motives could have been to have U.S. agencies help them by telling the American people about their interference.

The White House Is Tweeting About The Hearing

The White House is tweeting from the official @POTUS Twitter account, highlighting parts of the hearing that are favorable to Trump. The tweets from the official @POTUS account was unusual as Trump usually tweets from his personal account @realDonaldTrump, sometimes retweeting those tweets from his official account.

One of those tweets in particular was fact-checked in real time.

Rep. Jim Himes, a Democrat from Connecticut, asked him about a tweet sent from the president that posted a video of part of the hearing, along with the caption "The NSA and FBI tell Congress that Russia did not influence the electoral process."

When asked about the tweets, both Rogers and Comey seemed visibly confused.

"I haven't been following anyone on Twitter while I've been sitting here," Comey joked.

Himes then read the tweet out loud.

"Is the tweet as I read it to you, the NSA and FBI tell Congress that Russia did not influence electoral process, is that accurate?" he asked.

"Well it's hard for me to react to them," Comey said. "What we've said is we've offered no opinion, have no opinion, have no view, have no information on potential impact because it's never something we looked at."

"It certainly wasn't our intention to say that today, because we don't have any information on that subject," he said. "That's not something that was looked at."

Watch video of the hearing below:

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