Kellyanne Conway contradicts Trump’s reason for firing James Comey in TV interview

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Not only did White House senior advisor Kellyanne Conway manage to elicit an exasperated eye-roll from CNN’s Anderson Cooper while defending the President’s reason for firing the head of the FBI, she managed to contradict the reason behind it, too.

FBI director James Comey was fired from his position by Donald Trump on the recommendation of the Justice Department. The President claimed in a letter that Mr Comey was “not able to effectively lead the bureau”, citing the former chief’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe as “wrong”.

Speaking to CNN, Ms Conway read from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s memo claiming he “cannot defend the director’s handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary [Hillary] Clinton’s emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgement that he was mistaken”.

Ms Conway later claimed: “This has nothing to do with the campaign from six months ago, this has everything to do with the performance of the FBI director since the President has been in the White House.”

Democrats have said Mr Comey was fired due to the FBI investigation into alleged links between the President’s campaign before he was elected and Russia, which his administration has vehemently denied.

But Ms Conway said in the interview it “has nothing to do with Russia”.

"[This] has everything to do with whether the current FBI director has the President's confidence and can faithfully execute his duties."

The President has said he will replace Mr Comey with “someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI”.