Trump morally unfit for office, says fired FBI chief Comey
WASHINGTON, DC: Fired former Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey lashed out at President Donald Trump in an interview with ABC broadcast on Sunday, calling him “morally unfit” to be president and describing him as a serial liar who will “stain everyone around him”.
Comey’s remarks were the latest salvo in a war of words with Trump, who excoriated the former FBI director on Twitter earlier in the day, again calling him a “slimeball” and suggesting he should be jailed.
The interview with ABC News came ahead of today’s release of Comey’s memoir, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership, in which he details his interactions with the Republican president.
“I think he’s morally unfit to be president,” Comey said, in his first televised interview since being fired in May last year.
He pointed to how Trump “talks about and treats women like they’re pieces of meat” and “lies constantly about matters big and small, and insists the American people believe it”.
“Values matter,” he said. “This president does not reflect the values of this country.”
He said serving in Trump’s administration posed a serious ethical dilemma.
“The challenge of this president is that he will stain everyone around him,” he told ABC, which aired an edited interview, but published a full transcript.
“And the question is, how much stain is too much stain, and how much stain eventually makes you unable to accomplish your goal of protecting the country and serving the country?”
But while Comey sharply criticised Trump, he said he hoped the president was not impeached.
“I hope not because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe they’re duty bound to do directly.”
In his book, Comey said Trump demanded a pledge of loyalty.
“I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty. I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His ‘memos’ are self serving and FAKE!” Trump tweeted.