" WASHINGTON — President Trump has boasted at various points that he has “one of the great memories of all time” or even “the world’s greatest memory.”

But the world’s greatest memory failed him repeatedly when prosecutors asked him those classic questions from decades of presidential scandals — what did he know and when did he know it?

Mr. Trump refused for more than a year to be interviewed by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, and in the end agreed to respond to questions only in writing. Even then, with the help of his lawyers, the president found it difficult to summon details from his presidential campaign in 2016 that might shed light on what happened.

More than 30 times, he told the prosecutors that he had no memory of what they were asking about, employing several formulations to make the same point.

'I do not remember.'

'I do not recall.'

'I have no recollection.'

'I have no independent recollection.'

'I have no current recollection. "

― Peter Baker