FBI Director James Comey said on Wednesday he has no plans to step down any time soon, days after he reportedly pushed back against President Donald Trump’s allegations that the Obama administration had tapped his phones during the 2016 election.
At a Boston College cyber security conference, Comey prefaced his speech by saying he would like to come back.
“You’re stuck with me for another 6-1/2 years,” he said, indicating he expects to serve the remainder of his 10-year term.
Comey refused to talk to reporters during his two-day visit to Boston, ignoring shouted questions on the wiretapping allegations made in Twitter posts on Saturday by Trump, who did not offer any evidence.
Comey, who was appointed FBI director by Barack Obama in 2013, urged Justice Department officials to refute Trump’s claims because it falsely insinuated the Federal Bureau of Investigation broke the law, U.S. officials said.
The department has not acted on his request.
The White House said on Monday that Trump still has confidence in Comey despite his assertiveness in challenging Trump’s claim.