FBI Director James Comey has been fired. Photo / AP
The firing of FBI Director James Comey has come as a huge shock to Washington insiders.
The White House says Comey's dismissal has based on a recommendaton by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
President Donald Trump today "informed FBI Director James Comey that he has been terminated and removed from office," White House says.
A selection of reaction from journalists, analysts, politicians and commentators on Twitter:
1. No matter who won in November, did anyone expect Comey to survive?
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) May 10, 2017
2. If this leads to a special prosecutor: oops
Comey’s sudden dismissal looks an awful lot like a cover-up. How long will Congressional Republicans let him get away with these moves?
— Ruben Gallego (@RepRubenGallego) May 9, 2017
The scariest thought right now: Giuliani.
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 10, 2017
Comey learned of firing as he addressed FBI employees in LA. TV screens in background flashed news of firing. Letter was then given to FBI.
— Michael S. Schmidt (@nytmike) May 9, 2017
President who used to fire people on TV kinda fired the FBI director via TV https://t.co/yQcYGZOsXJ
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) May 9, 2017
NBC News: Multiple senior FBI and Justice officials say there was NO knowledge of Trump's announcement ahead of the release by White House.
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) May 9, 2017
The blockbuster NYT Comey story that set the stage for today's extraordinary news. https://t.co/GcBxyCPjtm
— Matt Purdy (@mattbpurdy) May 9, 2017
Republican Sen. Bob Corker says Trump's firing of the FBI Director will "raise questions" pic.twitter.com/7DtRt6MQ8D
— Chris Donovan (@chrisdonovan) May 9, 2017
Strong words streaming in virtually every minute tonight from Dem and GOP lawmakers on Pres. Trump's firing of the FBI director.
— Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) May 9, 2017
Firing people (for real, not on a reality show) is unpleasant. But you at least make a phone call. You don't embarrass an agency like this. https://t.co/gIKiEnsTEU
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) May 9, 2017
Not if there isn't a single official body left with the means to stop him which isn't on the payroll. He doesn't care who knows what. https://t.co/KmK2crLH0x
— Mitch Benn🇬🇧🇪🇺 (@MitchBenn) May 9, 2017
Republican members of congress have essentially given him permission to do this, with their unwillingness to challenge him on anything.
— Franklin Foer (@FranklinFoer) May 9, 2017
What Trump's firing of Comey means for an independent investigation of the Trump-Russia scandal: https://t.co/FTJhrqQVpY
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 9, 2017
Comey axing was “kept very close to the chest” in Trump’s inner circle up til they “were ready to pull the trigger” https://t.co/f7BaglKb5x
— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) May 9, 2017
My staff and I are reviewing legislation to establish an independent commission on Russia. The second paragraph of this letter is bizarre. https://t.co/wXeDtVIQiP
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 9, 2017
Trump has been very circumspect about the Trump-Russia investigation so there's no reason to question the Comey firing: pic.twitter.com/XMKY00QtTg
— Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) May 9, 2017
#Breaking: Schumer calls for special prosecutor, suggests cover-up https://t.co/DwnI4S3EsY pic.twitter.com/VTrXFxpuIj
— POLITICO (@politico) May 9, 2017
Unless I am missing something, POTUS letter also acknowledges 3 separate previously undisclosed discussions w/Comey over FBI probes.
— Nick Confessore (@nickconfessore) May 9, 2017
Pres. Trump's longtime security guy delivered the termination letter to the DOJ today. https://t.co/biq4oWBmi7
— Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) May 9, 2017
Senior officials at White House did not think firing FBI Director Comey would be a big political explosion.@DanaBashCNN
— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) May 9, 2017
Former senior FBI official tells me: "I believe the intent here is to replace him with someone who will close" the Russia probe.
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) May 9, 2017
Comey firing is a red herring to distract from the fact that Trump hasn't started building the wall.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) May 9, 2017
Senate Judiciary Comm. Dem https://t.co/BMrHzHEDYy
— Laura Rozen (@lrozen) May 9, 2017
Rod Rosenstein’s letter could have been written in January. So the key to why this happened today is likely Sessions. Which means Trump.
— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) May 9, 2017
WH sending out press coverage of Dem criticism of Comey won't wash away the stench of coverup. This was a disastrous decision.
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) May 9, 2017
The GOP is complicit. It voted for Sessions. It won't investigate Trump or block a replacement to Comey.
— Will Jennings (@drjennings) May 9, 2017
With Trump's firing of FBI director Comey, we review the fact-checks where his name came into play.https://t.co/Mh1776Jlu4 pic.twitter.com/VEmKNiFKdK
— PolitiFact (@PolitiFact) May 9, 2017
It will speak to rallies of the faithful, stir up the bots and alt-righters, and declare anything outside the bubble 'fake'. https://t.co/rpv7HISa9D
— Marc Burleigh (@marcburleigh) May 9, 2017
Everyone who is panicking right now-Comey anticipated this. A dozen or more indictments have been handed down. Comey's firing stops nothing.
— Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) May 9, 2017
Clinton and Trump finally smiling and agreeing on one thing.
— Wajahat "Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic" Ali (@WajahatAli) May 9, 2017
Close friend of Jim Comey’s --> https://t.co/v1Xz0IBAPo
— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) May 9, 2017
This will no more save Trump than Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre saved him. Firing Comey will hasten Trump's removal. God bless America.
— Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) May 9, 2017
Hmm. pic.twitter.com/D6K6KcuyY2
— Christopher Ingraham (@_cingraham) May 9, 2017
.@AriMelber on @MSNBC reports: Fmr. FBI official loyal to Comey says firing is "insane"—questioned whether it could amount to "obstruction". pic.twitter.com/mn30kOZpWf
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 9, 2017
Trump's firing of Comey will go down as the Tuesday Night Massacre. Sessions' role in this move adds to the bad odor. Comey knows too much.
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 9, 2017
Congress must set up a Special Commission bypassing the executive branch.
— John Weaver (@jwgop) May 9, 2017
Given the recent controversies surrounding the Director, I believe a fresh start will serve the FBI and the nation well.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) May 9, 2017
Only plausible reason. WH hearing footsteps and Comey had outlived his usefulness. https://t.co/lJvNC7vdgw
— Hon. Ellen Tauscher (@EllenOTauscher) May 9, 2017
Of course, if mishandling the Clinton investigation was actually the reason for Trump to fire Comey, he should have done it in January.
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) May 9, 2017
Now it's even more important that an independent special counsel is appointed to investigate the Russian interference in our elections. pic.twitter.com/WcoxtbfSyW
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) May 9, 2017
Sen. John McCain on Comey firing: "I regret that that took place. The president does have that authority, so I respect that" pic.twitter.com/IpqZRpaR9E
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 9, 2017
Pres. Trump praises James Comey in video from October 31: "What he did was the right thing" https://t.co/9bNY5CROO6 https://t.co/xgcfXi0Kau
— CNN (@CNN) May 9, 2017
5. Here's the unavoidable reality: PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS IN CONTROL. Republicans have ceded power to him. He will do what he wants.
— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) May 9, 2017
A lot of Comey's choices in the run up to the election were probably mistakes. But they've been misdiagnosed, I think, as partisan.
— Julian Sanchez (@normative) May 9, 2017
What do you call it when all your political enemies mysteriously vanish, one by one?
— Ben Greenman (@bengreenman) May 9, 2017
The long knives have been unsheathed: F.B.I. Director James Comey Is Fired by Trump https://t.co/kYFF7uLYqF
— Jonathan Tepperman (@j_tepperman) May 9, 2017
Caught the end of John McCain's reaction to the Comey firing: "The president does have that authority, so I respect that."
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 9, 2017
Twilight zone. I was as disappointed and frustrated as anyone at how the email investigation was handled. But this terrifies me.
— Robby Mook (@RobbyMook) May 9, 2017
If people thought Yates had become a symbol, they've seen nothing yet.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 9, 2017
Firing the FBI Director while you and your staff are under a counterintelligence investigation makes you look innocent, right?
— Pierre Omidyar (@pierre) May 9, 2017
.@evanperez: "I've been getting emails from people inside the FBI asking me, 'Is this true?'" @CNN
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) May 9, 2017
my latest >>> Initial Details and Thoughts on Comey https://t.co/loAPic1qhg via @TPM
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) May 9, 2017
Ivanka for FBI director. Because Jared is busy.
— asterix.asterix (@hashallthehash) May 9, 2017
There are no certainties in life, but without that July 5 presser -- and Comey's subsequent Oct 28 letter -- Trump unlikely wins WH https://t.co/H78wHMsniE
— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) May 9, 2017
My impression of Comey was that while he made some serious missteps, he was trying to be non-partisan, walking an impossible tightrope.
— matt blaze (@mattblaze) May 9, 2017
I believe James Comey was a fine public servant, but (fair or not) he had lost the public's trust.
— Matt Lewis (@mattklewis) May 9, 2017
Rosenstein’s memo recommending Comey’s termination is entirely about his handling of the Clinton email investigation. Not Russia one.
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) May 9, 2017
Trump has now fired, in dramatic fashion, 1) Acting attorney general 2) FBI director 3) US Attorney SD of NY.
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) May 9, 2017
Nixon, who told Americans "I'm not a crook," fired someone investigating him and, instead of extending his tenure, ended up shortening it
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) May 9, 2017
The day after Sally Yates made it clear Trump Administration actively protected compromised Mike Flynn he fires the FBI Director 1/
— Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) May 9, 2017
Comey should be immediately called to testify in an open hearing about the status of Russia/Trump investigation at the time he was fired.
— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) May 9, 2017
Strong words from Jeffrey Toobin: "a grotesque abuse of power by the president...This is the kind of thing that goes on in non-democracies" pic.twitter.com/IXc9rdLgHd
— David Mack (@davidmackau) May 9, 2017
This seems to imply that Comey was fired because he refused to bring charges against Clinton?
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) May 9, 2017
Another campaign promise kept? https://t.co/ya5KP1N6QD
The President's firing of Director Comey is a smoke signal. And where there's smoke, there's fire. And this is a bonfire.
— Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) May 9, 2017
Can I just ask the obvious: how is it okay to fire the man leading an investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded w Russia? 1/2
— David Gregory (@davidgregory) May 9, 2017
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
The Attorney General, having recused himself from probe into Russia & Trump, recommends firing the guy leading probe into Russia & Trump. https://t.co/5W9b2RpLvm
— Mary Louise Kelly (@NPRKelly) May 9, 2017
So at the height of Russiagate, Trump has fired the FBI director and retained private counsel. Paging @JohnWDean ...
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) May 9, 2017
An incredibly ominous sign, no matter your view of Comey. He investigated + was removed by Sessions, who is implicated in interference case. https://t.co/zNgMqkCnus
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) May 9, 2017
I don’t know of anyone, inside or outside of the @FBI, who saw this coming today. https://t.co/UDDUTVm8MZ
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) May 9, 2017
Ironically Comey's mistake with Abedin emails gave Trump opening to fire him. But FBI is still investigating Russia and Trump campaign.
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) May 9, 2017
Keep in mind: Not only is Comey investigating Trump campaign's ties to Russia, the Southern District of New York also probing Fox
— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) May 9, 2017
For all of Comey's flaws & terrible judgment during the election, he probably is much better than any Trump appointee to the FBI.
— Jesse Eisinger (@eisingerj) May 9, 2017
The President of the United States just fired the man overseeing an investigation into the President of the United States.
— Ben White (@morningmoneyben) May 9, 2017
Running scared.... https://t.co/ZigVXVfL1a
— Thomas E. Ricks (@tomricks1) May 9, 2017
Glad I haven't lost my ability to be completely astonished.
— adam nagourney (@adamnagourney) May 9, 2017
Also issues directive to "ask the generals if the Army has some kind of laser or something that can erase his memory." https://t.co/sjNVZ5rVZT
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) May 9, 2017
This second paragraph is one for the history books. #Comey pic.twitter.com/0HWkd4OBFH
— Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) May 9, 2017
Ukraine this week fired longer-range US missiles at Russian territory for the first time.