Ex-FBI boss James Comey 'asked for more resources for Russia probe days before Donald Trump fired him'

Probe: Former FBI Director James Comey.
AP

The ex-head of the FBI James Comey had asked for “more resources” to probe Russia’s role into the US election just days before he was fired, US officials have claimed.

James Comey, who was head of the FBI until Tuesday, was fired by President Donald Trump amid claims he needed to restore “public trust and confidence” in the nation’s top law enforcement agency.

But on Wednesday three US officials said Mr Comey had told lawmakers he had asked the Justice Department for more resources to follow up the FBI investigation into Russia’s involvement in last year’s election.

The officials said Mr Comey met last week with Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, to make the request.

Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said it was false that Mr Comey had asked Rosenstein for money for the Russia investigation.

The revelations raise new questions about what prompted Trump's decision to fire Mr Comey.

On Wednesday the White House said "we encourage" the FBI to complete its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and President Trump had been considering firing Mr Comey since he took office.

It had previously cited a memo from Mr Rosenstein where he criticises Mr Comey's handling of last year's investigation into Democrat Hillary Clinton's email practices.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer previously said President Trump had acted on the "clear recommendations" of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his Mr Rosenstein.

Trump defended his decision Wednesday, asserting in a flurry of tweets that both Democrats and Republicans "will be thanking me" for his action. He did not mention any effect the dismissal might have on the FBI and congressional investigations into contacts between his 2016 election campaign and Russia.

"He wasn't doing a good job. Very simply. He was not doing a good job," President Trump said in brief remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, where he was joined by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

FBI's Russia investigation is probing both Russia's hacking of Democratic groups last year and whether Trump campaign associates had ties to Moscow's election interference.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.

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