The initially amicable, then increasingly more controversial, contentious and, finally, rancorous relationship between President Donald Trump and FBI Director James Comey has just concluded with the utterance of two of Trump's favorite words: 'You're fired."
According to a statement issued by the White House, the firing of Comey comes at the recommendation of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Below is the full statement from the White House:
Today, President Donald J. Trump informed FBI Director James Comey that he has been terminated and removed from office. President Trump acted based on the clear recommendations of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
"The FBI is one of our Nation's most cherished and respected institutions and today will mark a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement," said President Trump.
A search for a new permanent FBI Director will begin immediately.
Below is the letter from Sessions to Trump recommending Comey's termination.
In the letter from Depty Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, he cites the handling of Comey's Clinton investigation, and says that Comey was wrong to cite his conclusions about the Clinton email probe in July of 2016: "I cannot defend the Director's handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clinton's emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgment that he was mistaken," Rosenstein wrote.
Rosenstein was referring to Comey's decision to announce in July last year that the probe of Hillary Clinton should be closed without prosecution, but then declared - 11 days before the Nov. 8 election - that he had reopened the investigation because of a discovery of a new trove of Clinton-related emails. Democrats say the decision cost Clinton victory.
Rosenstein also identified several areas in which he said Comey had erred, saying it was wrong of him to "usurp" then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch's authority by announcing the initial conclusion of the email case on July 5.
Comey "announced his own conclusions about the nation's most sensitive criminal investigation, without the authorization of duly appointed Justice Department leaders," Rosenstein wrote. Comey also "ignored another longstanding principle" by holding a news conference to "release derogatory information about the subject of a declined criminal investigation."
In a separate letter to Comey, Trump said that "you are not able to effectively lead" the FBI, new leadership is needed to restore trust.
More from Trump's letter to Comey:
"... you are hereby terminated and removed from office, effective immediately. While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgement of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau."
Full Trump letter to Comey below, where amusingly Trump notes that the FBI director told him " on three separate occasions" that he wasn't under investigation.
Comey's firing comes days after he testified on Capitol Hill about the FBI's investigation into Russia's election meddling and possible connections between Russia and Trump's campaign.
Republican Lindsay Senator Graham said after Comey was fired that he believes a "fresh start" will serve the FBI and the nation well.
.@PressSec Graham on Comey's replacement: "I encourage the President to select the most qualified professional available..." pic.twitter.com/29WFORYEfU
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) May 9, 2017
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley also applauded Trump's decision saying "The effectiveness of the FBI depends upon the public trust and confidence. Unfortunately, this has clearly been lost."
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Will Trump's termination of Comey be perceived as retribution? It's very likely: recall that two months ago Comey announced that the FBI was investigating alleged coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Getting rid of Comey would certainly be perceived as one way of putting any FBI probe on indefinite hold. Case in point, the first accuastion of political interference by Trump in the Bureau's work came from none other than Edward Snowden.
Set aside politics: every American should condemn such political interference in the Bureau's work. https://t.co/hROwSMg1vd
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) May 9, 2017
This FBI Director has sought for years to jail me on account of my political activities. If I can oppose his firing, so can you. https://t.co/zUp5kquy8q
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) May 9, 2017
Others, like Rep Brad Sherman have immediately called for a Special Counsel to investigate Trump and Russia to answer what's "Trump is trying to hide."
#Trump fires #Comey. No reason given. What’s Trump trying to hide? More than ever, need #SpecialCounsel to investigate Trump and #Russia.
— Rep. Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) May 9, 2017
Former FBI Special Agent Ali Soufan was even more concise: "Independent Commission Now!"
Independent Commission Now!
— Ali H. Soufan (@Ali_H_Soufan) May 9, 2017
As for Comey's replacement, he or she will need to be confirmed by the Senate, and will only need 51 votes to be confirmed.
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Shortly after the news broke, Former President Barack Obama's White House photographer Pete Souza posted a photo on his Instagram page which included James Comey, and captioned "Every person in this photograph is a patriot." The photo includes Obama, Comey, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Lisa Monaco, former Obama chief Homeland Security and Counterterrorism advisor.