Donald Trump

Andrew McCabe, FBI Deputy Director Criticized by Trump, Stepping Down: Sources

McCabe, who acted as interim director of the bureau after James Comey was fired, had been buffeted by attacks over alleged anti-Trump bias in the agency

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is stepping down effective Monday, multiple sources familiar with the matter told NBC News.

McCabe will remain on the FBI payroll on "terminal leave" until he is eligible to retire with full benefits in mid-March, the sources said.

One source familiar with the matter said McCabe is exercising his retirement eligibility, using unused leave until his eligibility date kicks in. The source characterized it as "stepping aside."

McCabe, who acted as interim director of the bureau after James Comey was fired, had been buffeted by attacks over alleged anti-Trump bias in the agency, including from the president.

Reports last week indicated that, in a meeting last year, Trump asked McCabe whom he voted for in the presidential race and brought up McCabe's wife's political background following the revelation that she had accepted campaign contributions during a state Senate run from the political action committee of then-Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton ally.

McCabe replied that he did not vote, according to one report. Trump said Wednesday he did not recall asking who McCabe voted for.

Trump has frequently criticized McCabe on Twitter, saying in December, "How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin' James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?"

The White House did not comment on the reports that McCabe was stepping down, referring questions to the FBI. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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