Former US Federal Bureau of Investigation Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, a frequent target of President Donald Trump's criticism, has sued the bureau and the Justice Department over his firing.

Key points: The former FBI Deputy Director has challenged the circumstances of his termination

The former FBI Deputy Director has challenged the circumstances of his termination He alleged that Mr Trump planned to rid the bureau of people perceived as disloyal

He alleged that Mr Trump planned to rid the bureau of people perceived as disloyal Mr McCabe was fired after being found to be misleading about a Clinton investigation

Thursday's (local time) lawsuit, the second this week from an ex-FBI official challenging the circumstances of his termination, said the firing was part of Mr Trump's plan to rid the bureau of leaders he perceived as disloyal to him.

The complaint contends that the two officials responsible for demoting and then firing Mr McCabe — FBI Director Chris Wray and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions — created a pretext to force him out in accordance with the President's wishes.

"Trump demanded Plaintiff's personal allegiance, he sought retaliation when Plaintiff refused to give it, and Sessions, Wray, and others served as Trump's personal enforcers rather than the nation's highest law enforcement officials, catering to Trump's unlawful whims instead of honouring their oaths to uphold the Constitution," the lawsuit read.

Mr Sessions, right, is accused of being one of President Trump's "personal enforcers". ( AP: Evan Vucci )

The federal complaint also contended the FBI and Justice Department strayed from established policies, with Mr Wray refusing to tell Mr McCabe why he was being fired and a senior Justice Department lawyer telling Mr McCabe's lawyer that they were "making it up as we go along."

Spokespeople for the FBI and Justice Department declined to comment.

Loading

The former deputy director was fired in March 2018 after a Justice Department inspector general report found Mr McCabe had repeatedly misstated his involvement in a news media disclosure regarding an FBI investigation into the Clinton Foundation.

The watchdog office referred the matter to the US Attorney's Office in Washington, which has been investigating.

Mr McCabe has denied any wrongdoing, and said that when he felt his answers were being misunderstood, he tried to correct them.

On Tuesday, former FBI agent Peter Strzok, who was fired over derogatory text messages he sent about Mr Trump, also sued.

He said the FBI had been influenced by "unrelenting pressure" from the president when it fired him.

AP