Former FBI chief James Comey described President Donald Trump as “morally unfit to be president” in an interview with the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on Sunday in his first interview after being fired in May of last year.
Comey’s statements came as a result of Trump’s Twitter comments earlier that day, calling Comey a “slimeball” and that “he will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history.”
Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018
The interview with ABC News was conducted to promote the release of Comey’s latest memoir, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership, in which he describes day-to-day encounters and interactions with the controversial president.
In addition to calling Trump “morally unfit,” Comey claimed the president “treats women like they’re pieces of meat” and that Trump “does not reflect the values of” the United States.
Although some comments did not make it on air, ABC News published a full transcript of the interview in which Comey stated ““The challenge of this president is that he will stain everyone around him.”
In his memoir, Comey describes Trump as “ego-driven” and a bully, saying he forced the former federal prosecutor to pledge allegiance to Trump.
Comey was fired from his position as FBI director after he launched an investigation in 2016 to decipher if there was any Russian interference in the last presidential election to favour President Trump’s campaign.
Before the interview aired, Trump released a series of tweets referencing Comey, his disloyalty and his propensity to lie. He wrote, 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!”
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018
Even though Comey thinks that Trump is unsuitable as the president of the United States, he does not think that the president should be impeached.
“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.”
Comey’s memoir will be released on Tuesday.