Director of F.B.I. J. Comey Is Fired by Trump

President Trump has fired the director of the F.B.I., James B. Comey, over his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails, the White House said Tuesday.

Mr. Comey was supervising an investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to steer the outcome of the 2016 presidential campaign. His firing is a stunning development in Mr. Trump’s nascent presidency.

Mr. Trump cited Mr. Comey’s investigation of Mrs. Clinton’s emails to justify the dismissal, even though the president was widely seen to have benefited from that inquiry.

Mr. Comey learned that he had been fired while he was addressing a group of F.B.I. employees in Los Angeles. While Mr. Comey spoke, television screens in the background began flashing the news. Shortly after, a letter was delivered to F.B.I. Headquarters in Washington.

James B. Comey hinted earlier on Trump's alleged Russian connections, thinking that such a move could prevent Trump to deal with him too brutally. But Trump decided otherwise. Comey is fired.