BLOGMay 12, 2017

O'Reilly Sets the Facts Straight: Trump Fired Comey for These 3 Reasons

Bill O'Reilly, former host of The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News joined The Glenn Beck Program Friday to comment on a wide range of issues, including the story that has dominated the news this week: President Trump firing FBI director James Comey.

"Let's begin with the fact --- and this is a fact --- that in American journalism right now very few are seeking the truth. [It's] not what the press is doing. They don't seek the facts to back up what really happened. What they do do, particularly in the newspapers and on cable television, is come up with a scenario and try to reinforce that scenario," O'Reilly said.

That said, O'Reilly believes the firing boiled down to one simple fact.

"The reason he was fired, and I know this to be a fact, is because Trump does not trust him. It's as simple as that. Donald Trump does not trust James Comey," O'Reilly said.

He backed up his claim, decisively naming three reasons why Trump doesn't trust Comey:

1. Trump doesn't like that Comey is unpredictable.

2. Comey would not aggressively investigate the leaks that have plagued the Trump administration since the inauguration.

3. Russia: President Trump is crazed about it, emotionally involved, and believes his enemies in the press and Democratic party have used it to delegitimize his victory. He didn't trust Comey would do an honest investigation.

"Those are the three reasons why Comey was fired," O'Reilly said.

Enjoy the complimentary clip above.

GLENN: From BillOreilly.com where he has his daily podcast, first interview with Bill O'Reilly since he left Fox News. Welcome back to the program, Bill. I'm guessing that some of your time has spent yelling at the television like I do when incompetent anchors are giving their opinion on the news. Let's hear what you've been saying privately about let's start with James Comey. Fired on Tuesday. You saw I'm sure the interview last night. Where do you want to begin?

BILL: Let's begin with the fact, and this is a fact. That in American journalism right now, very few are seeking the truth. Not what the press is doing. They don't seek the facts to back up what really happened. What they do do, particularly on newspapers and cable television is come up with a scenario and then try to reinforce that scenario.

All right. So James Comey is fired by President Trump. The reason he was fired, and I know this to be a fact is because Trump does not trust him. As simple as that. Donald Trump does not trust James Comey. Why?

GLENN: Agreed.

BILL: Three reasons. Number one, he doesn't like the fact that Comey is unpredictable. Don't know what he's going to do. Now, that might be a compliment to Comey all right? He's unpredictable.

Number two, that Comey would not aggressively investigate the leaks that have plagued the Trump administration since he was inaugurated. He's not -- well, he's gone now. But he was not investigating those leaks. Number three. Russia. President Trump is crazed about it. Emotionally involved with it. Okay? He believes that from the beginning, his enemy in the press and the democratic party have used the Russia thing to de-legitimatize his victory, so he's very emotionally and tightly wound about Russia. All right? He did not trust Comey to do an honest investigation about Russia. Those are the three reasons that Comey was fired.

GLENN: Okay. So I agree with you on all of them. And I agree with the idea that he doesn't trust him, and he wanted to fire him and was going to fire him. Because he doesn't trust him, because of the wiretap thing, he wouldn't back him up on the wiretap. He is not going into the leaks, who I think is Susan Rice, and he finds that abhorrent. But he also doesn't like the fact that on Monday he said under oath "It makes me a little bit squeamish that I may have affected the election. I think Donald Trump interpreted that as, you know, I didn't want him to win. Instead of the fact that I'm squeamish in one way or another.

BILL: It just reinforced it. It wasn't a primary mover. The Trump administration always makes mistakes by being undisciplined; right? So Trump wanted Comey out, and he probably wanted him out from the jump. From the time he was sworn in. But he was --

GLENN: So why did he praise him so hard at the beginning?

BILL: Because that's what he always does. Everybody's terrific. Everybody's excellent. Everybody's doing a great job. That's his way. All right? He tries to get people over on his side by doing that. He flatters them, and he wants to convince them that, you know, they should be loyal to him. He didn't see any good response from Comey, so personally, he just said "Well, we've got to get rid of this guy."

But the messaging is always the problem with the Trump White House. They don't have strong people dealing with the press. I mean, I think Huckabee's daughter is much stronger than Spicer. Spicer is just weak. And the president himself sends muddled messages all the time. For example, he asked the justice department to evaluate Comey. Now, that's a legitimate request from a president. It's a legitimate request. Okay. Look, I need to know your opinion on the FBI director. Okay?

So the assistant attorney general because sessions is recused comes back and says "He's a screw up. All right? He did things in the Hillary Clinton e-mail investigation that were unprofessional and made the bureau look bad. So that's an honest assessment. I think. Because the guy was confirmed by all the Democrats. He's not an idealog, the assistant attorney general. So Trump has that.

But then they put out that's the reason against Comey, but it wasn't the real reason, you see? So if Trump had stayed on message and just said in the beginning "I just don't trust him. I lost my confidence, and I'm going to remove him. That's all I have to do.