News / Politics

Comey lost confidence of nearly everyone in Washington: Trump

Wednesday, 10 May 2017 12:59 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 10 May 2017 1:04 PM ]

US President Donald Trump (Photo by AFP)

US President Donald Trump says he has fired FBI Director James Comey because he had lost the "confidence" of nearly everyone in Washington, DC.

Trump early Wednesday said the new FBI director will do a better job than Comey, and predicted people would be "thanking" him for his decision of firing the man, who had been leading a politically charged investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

"James Comey will be replaced by someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI," Trump tweeted.

"Comey lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike," Trump said in another tweet. "When things calm down, they will be thanking me!"

Comey has been criticized by lawmakers in both Republican and Democratic Parties for his handling of investigations connected to the 2016 presidential election -- the Russia investigation as well as the inquiry into former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's email practices while she was secretary of state.

Comey learned about his firing as director of the FBI through a news report on television while he was giving a speech and thought it was a joke, according to bureau staffers.

He was addressing his FBI team in Los Angeles on Tuesday when he saw the news on television screens in the room. He laughed after he saw the news, but he "stepped into a side office, where he confirmed that he had been fired.”

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In the dismissal letter, Trump wrote to Comey that it was time for a "new beginning" at America’s "crown jewel of law enforcement."

The move by Trump provoked backlash from several lawmakers, who questioned the timing of Comey’s removal as the FBI is investigating Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 election.

‘Comey could lead Senate probe on Trump-Russia ties’

Ousted FBI Director James Comey (Photo by AFP)

In an interview early Wednesday, independent Senator Angus King suggested Comey could lead the Senate's investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

“I had a fun idea in the middle of the night,” King told CNN. "The Intelligence Committee ought to hire James Comey to direct our investigation. He's already got his clearances, knows the subject, man of integrity. I’m going to float that today and see what kind of reaction I get.”

“He’s a free man as of today, he doesn’t have a job,” added the senator, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

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