Trump contradicts white house on reasons for comey firing

A classic Trump move!

On May 9, 2017, President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, citing the Russia investigation as a reason. However, Trump later contradicted the White House's official explanation for the firing, sparking controversy and fueling speculation about the true motives behind the decision.

Initially, the White House claimed that Trump fired Comey due to his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server, specifically his decision to reopen the investigation just days before the 2016 presidential election. In a statement, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said: "The President made the decision to fire Director Comey based on the recommendation of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General."

However, in an interview with NBC News' Lester Holt on May 11, 2017, Trump contradicted this narrative, saying: "When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, 'You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story.'... And I said to myself, 'I've got to act quickly.'"

Trump also claimed that he was going to fire Comey regardless of the Justice Department's recommendation, saying: "I was going to fire him regardless of recommendation. He's a showboat, he's a grandstander, the Democrats love him, and I'm not a fan of his."

This sudden shift in explanation sparked widespread criticism and raised questions about the true reasons behind Comey's firing. Many saw Trump's comments as an admission that the original explanation was a cover story, and that the real reason for the firing was Comey's investigation into Trump's campaign's potential ties to Russia.

The controversy surrounding Comey's firing led to a series of investigations and hearings, including a Senate Intelligence Committee investigation and a special counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller. The Mueller report, released in 2019, concluded that Trump had engaged in obstruction of justice by firing Comey, but did not find sufficient evidence to prove that Trump had committed a crime.

In summary, Trump's contradictory statements about the reasons for Comey's firing have become a hallmark of his presidency, fueling speculation and controversy about his motivations and actions.