Firing of FBI Director James Comey

President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey on May 9, 2017, in a controversial decision that sent shockwaves through Washington and directly led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The firing occurred while the FBI was actively investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump initially claimed he acted based on Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein's recommendation, but later told NBC's Lester Holt that he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he made the decision.