Ex-FBI deputy accuses Donald Trump of ousting him to undermine Russia investigation

The former FBI deputy director has accused Donald Trump of ousting him to undermine the Russian election meddling investigation after he was sacked just a day before retiring.  

Andrew McCabe, a long-time hate figure for the president, was due to retire on Sunday but was instead fired late on Friday, throwing his pension into jeopardy. 

Mr McCabe had triggered Mr Trump’s ire because his wife ran for office as a Democrat and he handled controversial investigation into the Hillary Clinton email scandal. 

However he could also prove a key witness in the any obstruction of justice case brought against Mr Trump, potentially backing up claims from James Comey, the former FBI director. 

In an explosive 800-word statement released after his sacking, Mr McCabe pointed the finger at the president as he broke his silence. 

"For the last year and a half, my family and I have been the targets of an unrelenting assault on our reputation and my service to this country,” Mr McCabe said. 

He added: “The President's tweets have amplified and exacerbated it all. He called for my firing. He called for me to be stripped of my pension after more than 20 years of service. 

“And all along we have said nothing, never wanting to distract from the mission of the FBI by addressing the lies told and repeated about us. No more.” 

Mr McCabe said he had been “singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey”. 

The departure of Mr Comey, who was leading the Russia investigation before he was fired by Mr Trump, is a key event being looked at by special counsel Robert Mueller. 

John Dowd, Mr Trump's personal lawyer, called for the Russian investigation led by Mr Mueller to be shut down after Mr McCabe's sacking. 

Mr Dowd said he would "pray" for the US justice department to "bring an end to [the] alleged Russia collusion investigation", according to the website Daily Beast. 

However the White House distanced itself from the comments, insisting Mr Dowd was speaking in a personal capacity. 

Jeff Sessions, the US attorney general who did the sacking, said Mr McCabe had “made an unauthorised disclosure to the news media and lacked candor - including under oath - on multiple occasions”.

Internal reports critical of some of Mr McCabe's past work were expected soon.  However the decision to sack him a little more than 24 hours before he was retiring - possibly meaning he will lose much of his pension - was seen as vindictive by some. 

Mr Trump, who had previously indicated on Twitter he wanted Mr McCabe sacked, said it was “a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI ... [and] democracy”. 

He added that Mr McCabe was a “choirboy” compared to the “sanctimonious James Comey”, whose tell-all book will be published next month. 

John Brennan, who was CIA director until January 2017, responded to Mr Trump on Twitter: