Trump retains FBI Director James Comey, sources say

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President Trump asks FBI Director Comey to stay on the job

Reaction and analysis on 'Outnumbered'

President Trump has decided to retain controversial FBI Director James Comey, two law enforcement sources confirmed to Fox News, just months after Comey's revelations about Hillary Clinton’s emails twice rocked the presidential race.

Comey has already alerted members of the FBI workforce that Trump asked him to stay on the job. He's currently serving a 10-year term that expires in 2023.

Comey had been alternately praised and lambasted by Trump on the campaign trail. Tuesday’s news means Trump will avert a new confirmation fight and also helps the president avoid any appearance of impropriety.

Comey reportedly is investigating Trump associates’ ties to Russia, and some agents also may still be looking at The Clinton Foundation, as Fox News has previously reported.

During a White House reception on Sunday, Trump greeted Comey warmly. "Oh, and there's James! He's become more famous than me," he said.

Republicans had decried Comey’s move in July to call Clinton’s secret server “extremely careless” but nonetheless legal.

However, it was Democrats who cried foul when, in October, Comey informed Congress he was again investigating Clinton emails due to the emergence of new evidence.

On the Sunday before the presidential election, Comey said the investigation was complete and Clinton again had been cleared. In the wake of Trump’s Nov. 8 victory, however, Clinton and many members of her team have blamed Comey’s actions late in the race for the former secretary of state’s loss.

Fox News’ Catherine Herridge and Matt Dean contributed to this report.