Thomson Reuters
Former FBI Director James Comey speaks at the Boston Conference on Cyber Security at Boston College in Boston.
- Former FBI director James Comey explained what would happen if President Donald Trump fired Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
- Mueller has enraged Trump with his investigation of possible collusion with Russia in the 2016 election, prompting him to consider dismissal.
- But Comey said the move would be "ineffective" and potentially a disaster that could be rejected by his subordinates and ordinary Americans.
Former FBI director James Comey explained what would happen if President Donald Trump fired Special Counsel Robert Mueller - and it would likely bring a crisis.
Mueller, an employee of the Justice Department has often ruffled the president's feathers with his investigation into Trump's possible collusion with Russia and subsequent obstruction of justice.
Several times during the investigations into Trump's campaign, the president has expressed his dissatisfaction with the probe and desire to have it end. As Trump is ultiamtely in charge of the Justice Department, he could technically dismiss Mueller - but it comes with huge risks.
Speaking at a book-signing event for his new book, "A Higher Loyalty," at an event presented by and reported on by the news website Axios, Comey said that firing Mueller "would be utterly ineffective in practice," because "you'd have to fire the entire FBI and the entire Justice Department."
"I don't know that if the president followed the normal course, he would be able to find an executive who would carry out an order to fire Robert Mueller," continued Comey. "And so, then maybe he does away with the regulation that appointed Mueller and then fires him."
Currently, the White House maintains that Trump does have the power to dismiss Mueller. But critics have warned such a move could lead to a "constitutional crisis."
"I would hope it would be disastrous in the eyes of the American people without regard to their political affiliation, but it would also be ineffective," said Comey. "So, don't do disastrous things at all. Don't do disastrous things that won't make a difference."
Comey has emerged as a key critic of Trump since the president dismissed him as FBI director in May 2017.
Trump has responded to his recent book tour and related publicity by bringing up a litany of complaints he had with Comey's performance at the FBI and suggesting that he be jailed.