Analysis: Why was James Comey fired? We break down the White House talking points

President Trump’s firing of James B. Comey as FBI director has raised any number of questions. Perhaps near the top of the list: Why now?

Unsurprisingly, Trump’s surrogates in both the White House and Congress had pretty similar things to say Wednesday when questioned about Comey’s dismissal.

Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, filling in for Press Secretary Sean Spicer, hit many of the common talking points in the White House news briefing. Here they are, in no particular order:

Trump had considered letting Comey go since he’d been elected

This is a bit perplexing.

Eleven days before the election, Trump publicly praised Comey for his decision to further review Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

“It took guts for Director Comey to make the move that he made in light of the opposition he had,� Trump said at the time. “I was not his fan, but I’ll tell you what. What he did, he brought back is reputation.�

Shortly after his election, in an interview with “60 Minutes,� Trump declined to say whether he would dismiss Comey. But then came an embrace that seemed to cement Trump’s approval of the FBI director. Two days after his inauguration, Trump hugged Comey and affectionately said, “He’s become more famous than me.�

Don’t hold President Trump to Candidate Trump’s opinion

The construction of this mind twister goes like this: Trump may have been happy with Comey on the campaign trail — and to be fair, Trump the candidate ran hot and cold on the FBI director — but that doesn’t represent Trump the president. Sanders argued that his opinion changed once he took office.

When exactly that shift occurred remains uncertain.

Trump had lost confidence in Comey over the last several months

It’s unclear what the White House defines as “several months,� since Trump and his administration were publicly stating their confidence in the director as recently as last week.

Just seven days ago, Sean Spicer said that Trump had respect for Comey. It was in response to Trump’s overnight tweets that said “FBI Director Comey was the best thing that ever happened to Hillary Clinton.�

Trump himself had said the same just last month.

“I have confidence in him,� he said on Fox News.

When pressed, Sanders said that the biggest turning point came during Comey’s hearing last week.

This was Trump’s decision alone

Sanders said that Rod Rosenstein came to Trump with concerns about Comey on Monday. According to the White House, Trump did not direct Rosenstein to write the widely-cited three-page letter, but only asked him to put his concerns down in writing after he had voiced the recommendation. Trump took Rosenstein’s comments into consideration, but ultimately, the White House said, it was Trump’s decision to fire Comey.

Without further detail, Sanders said the letter and conversation outline the “basic atrocities� Comey committed in “circumventing the chain of command in the Department of Justice.�

Democrats, DOJ and rank-and-file members of the FBI lost faith in Comey too

The White House position is that the controversy over Comey’s firing is puzzling since Democrats had called for Comey’s dismissal months ago. And Sanders said at the news conference they’d heard from “countless members of the FBI.�

Sanders said she was surprised the decision created a divide and believed criticism of Comey’s ouster from some prominent Democrats was a sign that Trump will “have Democrats come out and fight him every step of the way.� She characterized that as “one of the things that is wrong with Washington.� Sanders also referenced “draining the swamp� and took a swipe at Hillary Clinton, saying Clinton would have fired Comey if she had won the election. Her aside: “Which, thank God, she didn’t.�

The argument echoes conservative media and constituents’ voices on social media.

We know that members of the Justice Department voiced concerns — look no further than the letters from Sessions and Rosenstein. But there are no similar public statements by top FBI officials.

Russia investigation is a distraction

The White House wants the Russia investigation to be over so the focus can turn back to other matters.

“No one wants this to be finished and completed more than us,� Sanders said.

Asked to clarify Trump’s claim in his dismissal letter that Comey had informed him “on three separate occasions that I am not under investigation," Sanders declined.

Asked why the president had put the statement in the letter, she responded: “That’s something that is far above my pay grade, and I’m not going to get into the specific of that.�

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Email [email protected] or tweet @cshalby.

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