washington president donald trump fire fbi director jam comey follow turbulent year comey become embroil controversy handle investigations involve trump former democratic presidential candidate hillary clinton timeline events precede comey fire trump reaction comey announce recommend criminal charge file democratic presidential candidate hillary clinton handle classify information secretary state call extremely careless use private email server trump respond news tweet comey decision example rig system unite state unfair usual bad judgment tweet less two weeks nov. presidential election comey announce letter congress fbi learn existence email appear pertain clinton investigation would review whether contain classify information abrupt decision renew investigation upset democrats believe announcement would impact vote trend election day harm clinton chance victory campaign michigan trump exult news reopen probe action surround opponent dub crook hillary bad happen originally take gut director comey make move make light kind opposition try protect criminal prosecution trump say two days inauguration trump event white house saw comey audience call comey stride warmly shake hand briefly embrace become famous trump say chuckle trump fire national security adviser michael flynn 24 days office disclose flynn mislead vice president mike pence contact russian ambassador unite state sergei kislyak comey testimony house intelligence committee say fbi investigate possible coordination trump presidential campaign russia clinton tell women women event new york comey announcement throw election trump election oct. 27 would president say trump respond late-night series tweet fbi director comey best thing ever happen hillary clinton give free pass many bad deeds trump tweet white house spokesman sean spic ask trump tweet comey president confidence director spic tell reporters may 2017 comey testimony senate judiciary committee say make mildly nauseous think announcement reopen investigation clinton email affect 2016 presidential election regret would make decision four hours testimony comey give impassioned defense decision reopen clinton probe may 2017 propublica report possible inaccuracies comey statements clinton aide huma abedin say fbi say prepare correct record plan appear hold bureau undecided midafternoon may 2017 afternoon daily brief white house spokesman sean spic ask whether trump still confidence comey unlike statement week early say trump confidence comey spic equivocate want start speak behalf president without speak first spic say 5:30 pm may 2017 brief appearance white house press room spic announce trump accept recommendation attorney general jeff sessions deputy attorney general rod rosenstein fire comey letter provide news media rosenstein cite comey handle clinton probe new york time report comey get news los angeles address fbi employees tv background flash news comey first think prank get word fire fbi headquarter washington trump personal aide keith schiller see leave build white house official say deliver trump letter announce comey dismissal timeline fbi director comey 's year controversy end fire