McCabe's statement directly contradicts what White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters May 10, when she said Comey was sacked because president Donald Trump, along with U.S. attorney general Jeff Sessions, had "lost confidence in him".
"I was going to fire Comey, regardless of recommendations", Trump told NBC.
In all, Mr. Trump said Mr. Comey told him three times that he wasn't under investigation, offering more details on the earlier statement in his letter firing the director that said Mr. Comey had informed him three times that he wasn't being probed.
"I actually asked him, yes", Trump said. "That was a DOJ decision", White House spokesman Sean Spicer said, laying the impetus for the memo building the case for Comey's firing on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe directly contradicted the White House when he said that Comey maintained broad support within the FBI.
Richard Burr, also asked McCabe if Comey had ever told Trump he wasn't being investigated, as Trump said in his termination letter to Comey.
Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe testified to Congress Thursday that the FBI had sufficient resources for its Russian Federation investigation, and that he was unaware of any request by Comey for more.
In firing Comey (photo), Trump said he knew he ran the risk he would "confuse people" and "lengthen out the investigation" into ties to Russian Federation.
No practice round, no problem for Mickelson at Players
From the middle of the fairway, Fowler blocked it so badly to the right that it hit a cart path and went deep into the pines. He has played 26 rounds on the Players Stadium Course dating to his rookie season in 2008 and he has broken 70 only twice.
Trump also defended the 18-day wait to fire National Security Adviser Michael Flynn in February after then-Acting Attorney General Sally Yates told White House Counsel Don McGahn that Flynn could be susceptible to blackmail.
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer had said Trump acted based on the recommendation of Sessions and Rosenstein. I have the highest respect for his considerable abilities and his integrity. McCabe told senators he could not comment on conversations between Comey and the president.
McCabe made the remarks during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing related to its investigation of Kremlin electoral efforts. The Post's exhaustive reporting demonstrates that Trump, as many suspected, initiated the firing because he was "angry that Comey would not support his baseless claim that President Barack Obama had his campaign offices wiretapped".
McCabe's testimony undercut a White House narrative that has evolved in the two days since Comey was ousted. "My decision", Mr Trump said. The New York Times Editorial Board penned an open letter to Rosenstein criticizing his memo to Trump, and many Senate Democrats have said they now regret voting for him.
Story updated at 12:40 to include information from Trump's interview with NBC.
McCabe's testimony contradicted Trump's appraisal of turmoil at the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Comey.
Trump also denied that he had a financial stake in Russian firms. "He made a recommendation, but regardless of recommendation, I was going to fire Comey". Comey said that he responded, "Yes, you will have that".
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