FBI Director Threatened To Resign After Sessions Pressured Him To Fire FBI Deputy Director At Trump’s Request: Report

FBI Director Christopher Wray threatened to resign after Attorney General Jeff Sessions pressured him to fire FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, Axios reported Monday.

Wray reportedly told Sessions that he would resign if McCabe was removed from his post following Republicans’ calls for McCabe to be removed from the FBI.

Axios adds:

Sessions told White House Counsel Don McGahn about how upset Wray was about the pressure on him to fire McCabe, and McGahn told Sessions this issue wasn’t worth losing the FBI Director over, according to a source familiar with the situation.

White House spokesman Raj Shah said that Trump “believes politically-motivated senior leaders including former Director Comey and others he empowered have tainted the agency’s reputation for unbiased pursuit of justice.”

“The president appointed Chris Wray because he is a man of true character and integrity and the right choice to clean up the misconduct at the highest levels of the FBI and give the rank and file confidence in their leadership,” Shah said.

Trump attacked McCabe on Twitter last month.

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017

How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin’ James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wife’s campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017