Comey reportedly asked Rosenstein for more funding for the Trump-Russia investigation days before he was fired

Advertisement

James Comey

Eric Thayer/Getty Images

James Comey.

Advertisement

Former FBI director James Comey reportedly asked deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein for more funding and personnel for the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's suspected ties to Russia just days before he was fired, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.

According to three officials with knowledge of the situation, Comey requested the increase in funding last week during a meeting with Rosenstein. He briefed Congress on the meeting when he testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee a few days later.

Comey was fired Tuesday afternoon by President Donald Trump, who said he based his decision on the advice of Rosenstein and attorney general Jeff Sessions.

Rosenstein, Sessions, and other Trump administration officials have said that Comey was fired solely because of his mishandling of the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server when she was secretary of state.

Advertisement

The president's advisers have also repeatedly said that the president had "lost confidence" in Comey and that was the basis of his decision to fire the FBI director.

NOW WATCH: Trump's budget director unveils photos of what the border wall may look like