The Woman in the Empty Suit
Trump's Performance With Latinos Drives Libs Into a Racist Rage
We Won Big, But This Isn't a Permanent Victory
University of Oregon Employee Suspended After Telling Trump Supporters to Kill Themselves
That's the Power of Love
Everything You Need to Know About the Insane 4B Movement
Is All That Money Spent on 'Call Her Daddy' Podcast Why Harris Is...
Trump Lawyer Has a Grim Warning for Letitia James and Jack Smith
China, Beijing Brace for Impact As Trump Promises Higher Tariffs
Tim Walz's Daughter Has Finally 'Reached the Point of Anger'
DOJ Unseals Indictment of Iranian Plot to Assassinate Donald Trump
The Results Are in: Trump Won Walz's Home County in the 2024 Election
Andrew Yang Offers Some Telling Advice on What Kamala Should Have Done Differently
The Blame Game Between Team Harris and Team Biden Has Begun, and Hoo...
'Ending the Federal Lawfare'? Jack Smith Makes Notable Move
Tipsheet

Trump: Comey Was a Showboat, I Would Have Fired Him Regardless of DOJ Recommendation

During an interview with NBC's Lester Holt, which is set to air in its entirety Thursday night, President Trump said he planned to fire FBI Director James Comey regardless of recommendations from the Justice Department.

Advertisement

"I was going to fire regardless of recommendation," Trump said. "He's a showboat, he's a grand-stander, the FBI has been in turmoil. You know that, I know that, everybody knows that. You take a look at the FBI a year ago, it was in virtual turmoil, less than a year ago. It hasn't recovered from that." 

According to testimony given Thursday to the Senate Intelligence Committee by Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, the FBI is not in turmoil and agents had full confidence in Comey's leadership. 

Further, Trump's comments slightly contradict statements made by Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders during Wednesday's press briefing. White House officials have been arguing since Tuesday Trump made his decision to fire Comey based on DOJ recommendations to do so.

Q  Sarah, isn’t it true that the President had already decided to fire James Comey, and he asked the Justice Department to put together the rationale for that firing?
 
MS. SANDERS:  No.
 
Q    When did he make the decision?
 
MS. SANDERS:  He made the decision for -- the final decision to move forward with it was yesterday.  But I know that he’s been contemplating it for a while.

Q    But how do you explain what Dianne Feinstein says, that the President told her that he was concerned with the mess at the FBI and asked the Justice Department to look into it?
 
MS. SANDERS:  I can't speak for Senator Feinstein, but I did speak directly to the President and heard directly from him that he, again, had been considering letting Director Comey go pretty much since the day he took office, but that there was no request by him to have a review at the Department of Justice.
 
Q    But was the reason for the firing what was written by the Deputy Attorney General?  Is that why he did it?
 
MS. SANDERS:  That was, I think, the final piece that moved the President to make that quick and decisive action yesterday.

Advertisement

Trump's statement contradicts Vice President Mike Pence.

This post has been updated with additional information.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement