The Slatest

Comey First Learned He Was Fired From a TV News Report While Giving a Speech to FBI Employees

FBI Director James Comey prepares to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 3.

Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

Even in the stay classy Trump administration this just about takes the cake for employee disloyalty (via the New York Times):

Mr. Comey was addressing a group of F.B.I. employees in Los Angeles when a television in the background flashed the news that he had been fired. In response, Mr. Comey laughed, saying he thought it was a fairly funny prank. Then his staff started scurrying around in the background and told Mr. Comey that he should step into a nearby office. Mr. Comey stopped addressing the group. He proceeded to shake hands with the employees he had been speaking to. Then he stepped into a side office, where he confirmed that he had been fired. At that point, he had not heard from the White House. Shortly thereafter, a letter from Mr. Trump was delivered to the F.B.I.’s headquarters, just seven blocks from the White House.

The Trump White House appears to be employing the Bob Sugar technique of employment termination.