Former FBI director James Comey told President Barack Obama after the 2016 presidential election that he dreaded Donald Trump becoming president before taking a job in his administration.
“I told him that, ‘I dread the next four years,’” Comey told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in an interview. “‘But in many ways, I feel great pressure to stay to try and protect the institution I lead.’”
The former FBI director said he was already worried that Trump would “erode” the institution of the FBI, even before he was inaugurated as president.
Comey was emotional during one of his last meetings with Obama, which he recounts in detail in his book.
According to Comey, Obama held him back after a meeting to personally tell him that he had served with “integrity” during the 2016 election.
Comey complained that he felt miserable after the election, comparing himself to Bruce Willis’s character in “The Sixth Sense” who did not realize he was dead.
“I felt like I was totally alone, that everybody hated me,” he said.
Comey said that the president’s understanding meant a great deal to him.
“I said, ‘Thank you, Mr. President. It has been a nightmare. I’m just– I’ve just tried to do the right thing.’ And he said, ‘I know. I know,’ Comey related.
Comey also said that he was “going to miss” Obama.
“I said, ‘I think my wife would kill me if I didn’t take this chance to thank you, and to tell you how much I’m going to miss you,’” he continued.
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