US Attorney General Jeff Sessions fires former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe days before retirement

Firing comes before a report expected to conclude that he was not forthcoming with the watchdog office as it reviewed the bureau’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation

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FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was fired on Friday. Photo: EPA

Published: 10:15am, 17 Mar 2018Updated: 11:09pm, 17 Mar 2018

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on Friday night that he was firing former Federal Bureau of Investigation Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, a long-time and frequent target of President Donald Trump’s anger, just two days before his scheduled retirement.

The move, which had been expected, was made on the recommendation of FBI disciplinary officials and comes ahead of an inspector general report expected to conclude that McCabe was not forthcoming with the watchdog office as it reviewed the bureau’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation.

“The FBI expects every employee to adhere to the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and accountability,” Sessions said, adding that “all FBI employees know that lacking candour under oath results in dismissal”.

McCabe immediately disputed the findings in his own statement, saying the firing was part of a Trump administration “war” on the FBI.

“I am being 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,” McCabe said, referring to the former FBI director who was fired by Trump last May.

Trump celebrated the firing on Twitter, calling it “a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI”.

President Donald Trump sits with Attorney General Jeff Sessions during the FBI National Academy graduation ceremony. Sessions fired FBI No. 2 Andrew McCabe late on Friday, just days ahead of the 50-year-old’s retirement. Photo: AP

Though McCabe had spent more than 20 years as a career FBI official, and is said to have played roles in some of the bureau’s most significant recent investigations, Trump repeatedly condemned him over the last year as emblematic of an FBI leadership he contends is biased against his administration.