Why Trump’s FBI ‘punching bag’ Andrew McCabe finally resigned
Feud over wife’s politics made bureau’s deputy director a target for president

Andrew McCabe has quit as FBI deputy director, ending a tumultuous final year in office that saw him clash repeatedly with President Donald Trump.
McCabe became a “punching bag” for the commander-in-chief’s frustrations over the FBI investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US election, CNN reports.
The pair already had a tense relationship after it emerged in 2016 that McCabe’s wife accepted a donation from a group tied to Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe, a Hillary Clinton crony, while running for the state Senate the previous year. Trump is said to have referred to Jill McCabe as a “loser” in a phone call with the deputy director.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
At a meeting in the Oval Office, Trump allegedly asked McCabe point-blank which party he had voted for during the 2016 election, The Washington Post says. McCabe reportedly answered that he had not voted.
The president’s hostility to manifested itself in a number of ways. The day after former FBI director James Comey was dismissed, in May 2017, Trump reportedly harangued McCabe over the phone as to “why Comey was allowed to fly on an FBI plane after he had been fired”, NBC News reports.
But the final straw, CNN says, may have had nothing to do with Trump.
FBI director Chris Wray has hinted to staff in an all-employee email that a government watchdog probe into the 2016 Clinton email scandal may have played a role in McCabe’s departure. Wray had also reportedly informed McCabe that he was “bringing in his own team, which McCabe would not be a part of”, and that it was McCabe’s decision whether to stay at the FBI or leave, the news site reports.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Bluetoothing: the phenomenon driving HIV spike in Fiji
Under the Radar ‘Blood-swapping’ between drug users fuelling growing health crisis on Pacific island
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetime
Feature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’
Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
-
Can Trump bully Netanyahu into Gaza peace?
Today's Big Question The Israeli leader was ‘strong-armed’ into new peace deal
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
The GOP: Merging flag and cross
Feature Donald Trump has launched a task force to pursue “anti-Christian policies”
-
Five key questions about the Gaza peace deal
The Explainer Many ‘unresolved hurdles’ remain before Donald Trump’s 20-point plan can get the go-ahead
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?
Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her