Photo Credit: Indiatimes

Washington: President Donald Trump is on the look-out for a new director for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after his firing of James B. Comey. However, Democrats have vowed to block the appointment of a new FBI director unless a special prosecutor is appointed for the Trump-Russia probe.

“I think there are a lot of Democrats who feel that way,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told a news channel. “We'll have to discuss it as a caucus, but I would support that move, because who the FBI director is, is related to who the special prosecutor is.”

Trump's abrupt dismissal of Comey sent shockwaves through Washington and triggered claims that he was trying to obstruct an FBI probe into whether his campaign colluded with Russia to tilt the November election his way.

Read: President Donald Trump to name new FBI chief as early as next week

White House Principal Deputy Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters on May 11 that the White House doesn’t see the need in appointing a special prosecutor to probe Donald Trump – Russia issue.

"We don't think it's necessary. You've got a House committee, a Senate committee and Department of Justice all working on this," stated Sanders.

She went on to say that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had strong bipartisan support and was "independent enough" to carry out the investigation.

Read: White House rules out Special Prosecutor on Russia Scandal

According to media reports, the Trump administration is considering four candidates to replace fired FBI Director James Comey. They are acting FBI Director James McCabe, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, a former assistant attorney general Alice Fisher and Judge Michael J Garcia of the New York Court of Appeals.

Trump's pick to succeed Comey will have to first appear at hearings before a Senate panel before their nomination is put to a vote in the entire Republican-controlled Senate.

"To have that special prosecutor, people would breathe a sigh of relief, because then there would be a real independent person overlooking the FBI director," said Schumer on Monday.

The Trump administration is looking to fill the job, which requires Senate confirmation after Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday.

Read: FBI's James Comey: From Hillary Clinton bugbear to thorn in Donald Trump's side

(With inputs from PTI)