Donald Trump has fired FBI director James Comey, amidst the Bureau's investigations surrounding links between Russia and the US President's election campaign.
Mr Comey was giving a speech to FBI employees in Los Angeles when TV screens behind him flashed 'breaking news' banners announcing his sacking, and initially laughed it off as a prank. Yesterday, however, a letter was hand-delivered to the FBI's Washington headquarters, confirming the decision.
The decision to get rid of the FBI director was prompted by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy Rod Rosenstein. They both cited Mr Comey's handling of the saga involving Hilary Clinton's private email server as the reason.
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President Trump issued this letter: "Dear Director Comey: I have received the attached letters from the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General of the United States recommending your dismissal as the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I have accepted their recommendation and 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 the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau.
"It is essential that we find new leadership that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours."
The move has sparked outcry from some in Washington, but President Trump has hit back at the criticisms in a series of tweets:
Several commentators, including the Guardian, have likened the sacking to Richard Nixon's firing of Archibald Cox, the man appointed to look into the Watergate affair.
But the move has caused concern in Washington about the ongoing investigation into the Trump administration and Russia. MSN reports that there are calls for an independent prosecutor be appointed to lead the inquiry into the allegations.
James Comey job over the past 12 months has been heavily scrutinised and criticised. In Hilary Clinton's first interview since losing last year's US Presidential election, she declared one of the reasons she lost the vote was because of Mr Comey. Despite stating that no criminal charges would be filled against Mrs Clinton over her use of a private email server in July, he also called her actions 'extremely careless'.
That raised eyebrows because it was believed to be the first time the FBI revealed its recommendations for prosecution to the Department of Justice.
President Trump praised Mr Comey when he opened a new investigation into Mrs Clinton's email server, just days before last year's election. The then Republican candidate told a rally: "I have great respect for the fact that the FBI and the DOJ are now willing to have the courage to right the horrible mistake they made."
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But that praise was soon deflated after he refuted the President's claims that former leader Barack Obama had wiretapped him.
Mr Comey is only the second FBI director to be sacked in America's history. The first was William Sessions, during the Clinton administration in 1993, for ethical improprieties.
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Sources: New York Times, Guardian, MSN
Topics: Donald Trump, Russia
