US

Trump brands Comey a ‘showboat’ and ‘grandstander’

US president says he would have fired FBI chief regardless of officials’ recommendation

US president Donald Trump has called James Comey, the FBI chief he fired, a 'showboat' and a 'grandstander' on an NBC television interview. Video: NBC

Thu May 11 2017 - 19:09

US president Donald Trump on Thursday called James Comey, the FBI chief he fired, a "showboat" and "grandstander" and said he would have dismissed him even if officials at the justice department had not recommended it.

“He’s a showboat. He’s a grandstander. The FBI has been in turmoil,” Mr Trump told NBC in his first interview since his abrupt firing on Tuesday of Mr Comey, who was leading an investigation into possible Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Moscow.

“I was going to fire Comey. My decision,” Mr Trump said. “I was going to fire regardless of recommendation.”

In an earlier development Mr Comey urged the bureau he led until his abrupt dismissal to remain “a rock of competence, honesty, and independence”.

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Mr Comey addressed friends and staff in a widely-reported letter on Wednesday, in which he stated his belief that Mr Trump, as president, had a right to fire him irrespective of the circumstances.

“I have long believed that a president can fire an FBI director for any reason, or for no reason at all,” Mr Comey wrote in the letter, which was first obtained by CNN.

“I’m not going to spend time on the decision or the way it was executed. I hope you won’t either. It is done, and I will be fine, although I will miss you and the mission deeply.”

The letter marked Mr Comey’s first known comments on his firing at the hands of Mr Trump, which sent shockwaves across the country over the timing and perceived breach of due process and natural justice.

Mr Comey was leading an FBI investigation into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, and reportedly sought more resources for the inquiry in the days leading up to his removal.

“I have said to you before that, in times of turbulence, the American people should see the FBI as a rock of competence, honesty, and independence,” Comey wrote.

“What makes leaving the FBI hard is the nature and quality of its people, who together make it that rock for America.”

Likened to Watergate

The White House has vigorously defended the decision to remove Mr Comey despite condemnation from both parties in Washington.

Democrats said MNr Trump's move echoed the Watergate scandal of the 1970s that eventually prompted the resignation of Richard Nixon as president.

Republicans were more muted in their criticism but raised concerns over the timing of Mr Trump’s decision, with some indicating they would join Democrats in supporting the appointment of a special prosecutor to oversee the Trump-Russia investigation.

There are three separate but parallel inquiries into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which the US government concluded was designed to boost Mr Trump’s candidacy. The FBI investigation, with Mr Comey at its helm, was accelerating prior to his dismissal.

His firing was recommended by the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, and the attorney general Jeff Sessions.

Mr Sessions had claimed to recuse himself from the Russia investigation in March after it was revealed he met with the Kremlin's ambassador to the US on at least two occasions and did not disclose those encounters while testifying before a Senate committee at his confirmation hearing.

Mildly nauseous

The White House, along with Mr Rosenstein and Mr Sessions, insisted Mr Comey had lost the confidence of the FBI and the American public. Mr Trump told reporters on Wednesday that Mr Comey “wasn’t doing a good job”, while White House spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president had “been considering letting Director Comey go since the day he was elected”.

However, last week t White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Mr Comey had the president's confidence.

Mr Trump said as much himself in an interview last month, and as a candidate heralded Mr Comey for reopening the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server just 11 days before the election.

Testifying before a Senate panel last week, Mr Comey defended his highly controversial decision, which several polls found cost Clinton heavily among late-deciding voters.

“It makes me mildly nauseous to think we might have had some impact on the election,” Mr Comey said. “But honestly it wouldn’t change the decision.”

Here is the full text of James Comey’s letter:

To all:

I have long believed that a President can fire an FBI Director for any reason, or for no reason at all. I’m not going to spend time on the decision or the way it was executed. I hope you won’t either. It is done, and I will be fine, although I will miss you and the mission deeply.

I have said to you before that, in times of turbulence, the American people should see the FBI as a rock of competence, honesty, and independence. What makes leaving the FBI hard is the nature and quality of its people, who together make it that rock for America.

It is very hard to leave a group of people who are committed only to doing the right thing. My hope is that you will continue to live our values and the mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution. If you do that, you too will be sad when you leave, and the American people will be safer.

Working with you has been one of the great joys of my life. Thank you for that gift.

Jim Comey

Guardian News and Media 2017

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