These are the people Donald Trump has fired - and why

President Trump sent shockwaves across Washington yesterday when he announced the dismissal of FBI director James Comey.

The stunning move, which raised fresh questions about collusion between Trump’s advisers and Russia in influencing the outcome of the presidential election, was confirmed in a letter sent to the FBI headquarters on Tuesday afternoon.

While this abrupt dismissal is the most significant departure that Trump has authorised, it’s certainly not the first firing that the former Apprentice host has approved while in office.

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The first came in the form of former Attorney General Sally Yates, who had previously served under Barack Obama.

She was given the boot by President Trump in January after she advised the Justice Department not to defend Donald Trump’s executive order that would have halted immigration to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Since her dismissal, she has remained a constant thorn in President Trump’s side, and recently testified at a Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into Russia’s involvement in the 2016 Presidential Election.

Her sacking was followed by that of U.S Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, in March this year.

Mr Bharara was dismissed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, after refusing to resign.

Speaking after James Comey’ was shown the door yesterday, Senator Chuck Schumer took to Twitter to voice his concern over the pattern of dismissals.

He said: ‘They fired Sally Yates. They fired Preet Bharara. And they fired James Comey, the very man leading the investigation [into ties with Russia]. This does not seem to be a coincidence.’