Trump considers purge of his staff

UNITED STATES: Donald Trump is considering a major purge of his top White House staff as he searches for a ‘‘huge reboot’’ following the most damaging week of his presidential term, political sources in Washington said yesterday.

Taken aback by the fallout from his sudden dismissal of James Comey, the FBI director, and on the hunt for someone to blame, the president was said to be toying with firing senior allies, from Reince Priebus, his chief of staff, to Sean Spicer, his press secretary.

‘‘He’s frustrated, and angry at everyone,’’ one confidant told Mike Allen, a leading political journalist, adding that the president was thinking about ‘‘going big’’ with his response. ‘‘The question now is how big and how bold.’’

The Trump administration is facing questions over why the president decided to remove Comey, the top official leading the inquiry into allegations of collusion between his campaign and Russia during the election.

Democrats kept up the pressure yesterday, with leading politicians warning that they may refuse to vote on the nomination of a new FBI director, who would have to be confirmed by the Senate, until a special prosecutor was appointed.

‘‘To have that special prosecutor, people would breathe a sigh of relief, because then there would be a real independent person overlooking the FBI director,’’ Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader said. And there were mounting calls, including from Republicans, for Trump to turn over any tapes of his conversations with Comey, after the president suggested he may have a secretly recorded them.

Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee called Trump’s suggestion ‘‘outrageous’’ and said it was reminiscent of the Watergate scandal that forced former president Richard Nixon to resign.

Lindsey Graham, one of the most powerful Republicans in the Senate, who has previously defended Trump, said this was not a matter to be ‘‘cute’’ with. ‘‘If there’s tapes of this conversation, they need to be turned over,’’ he said. Adding that Trump’s tweet alleging the recordings was ‘‘inappropriate’’.

The turmoil is said to be no less bitter inside the White House. Informed sources said Trump has been stewing all week, interrogating aides as he investigates how each negative headline in the media came to light.

He is said to be particularly angry at his communications office and has spoken candidly with advisers about a broad shakeup that could include demotions or dismissals. - Telegraph Group