Image copyright Reuters

US President Donald Trump has said he fired FBI director James Comey because "he was not doing a good job".

He gave his first in-person explanation of the FBI chief's dismissal during a surprise meeting with Henry Kissinger.

The president has said he fired Mr Comey over his handling of the inquiry into Hillary Clinton's emails.

But Mr Comey reportedly asked for more money for his inquiry into Russia's alleged meddling in the US election, according to US media.

Days before his removal, he made the request to Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who recommended Mr Comey's dismissal to the president, according to leaks.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Wednesday the president had "been considering letting Director Comey go since the day he was elected".

She added there had been "an erosion of confidence" over the last several months.

Mr Comey's dismissal has shocked Washington and outraged Democrats.

The sacking "raises profound questions about whether the White House is brazenly interfering in a criminal matter," said Adam Schiff, who is the highest ranked Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

But the president stood by his actions on Wednesday morning, hours before a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov - his first with any Russian official since taking power.

"James Comey will be replaced by someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI," he said in early morning tweets.

"Comey lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike. When things calm down, they will be thanking me!" he added.

It is only the second time the head of the FBI has been fired.

What is the latest reaction on Wednesday?

Russian President Vladimir Putin weighed in from a hockey rink in Sochi, saying: "We have nothing to do with that".

"President Trump is acting in according with his competence and in accordance with his law and constitution," he told CBS.

Meanwhile, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he will request a closed and "if necessary, classified" all-senators separate briefing from senior Justice Department officials.

He also called for a special prosecutor to oversee the FBI investigation into any potential Russian ties to Mr Trump's associates.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Lavrov jokes about the firing of Comey

But Vice President Mike Pence told reporters Mr Trump demonstrated "strong and decisive leadership" in his decision and the move was "based solely and exclusively on his commitment to the best interest of the American people".

"The president made the right decision at the right time," he said.

Why was James Comey fired?

President Trump wrote in a letter to Mr Comey that he agreed with Attorney General Jeff Sessions' recommendation that "you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau".

Mr Sessions said the department of justice was "committed to a high level of discipline, integrity, and the rule of law", and "a fresh start is needed".

Many have expressed surprise that Mr Comey should be fired for his handling of the investigation into Mrs Clinton's emails, given that Mr Trump often praised the FBI director's conduct in the matter.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption James Comey left LA for Washington DC escorted by motorcade

But on Tuesday, Mr Trump followed the recommendation of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who wrote a letter saying he could not defend the director's handling of the investigation into Secretary Clinton.

He added Mr Comey had been wrong to "usurp" the previous attorney general in July 2016 when he announced the Clinton emails inquiry should be closed without prosecution.

Image copyright AFP/Getty Images Image caption Mr Trump's letter dismissing Mr Comey was released by the White House

Mr Comey was addressing FBI agents in Los Angeles when, according to US media, he learned he had just been fired when he saw the news on television.

The 56-year-old - who was three-and-a-half years into his 10-year term as FBI director - reportedly laughed, thinking it was a prank.

What about the Russia investigation?

Democrats swiftly suggested that Mr Trump had fired Mr Comey to influence the FBI inquiry into whether members of the Trump election campaign colluded with the Kremlin.

The House of Representatives and Senate intelligence committees are looking into the same allegations but no conclusions have yet been reached.

"Were these investigations getting too close to home for the president?" Mr Schumer asked a Tuesday evening press conference.

"This does not seem to be a coincidence," he added.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption US Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer: "Mr President, with all due respect, you're making a big mistake"

Mr Trump responded on Twitter that Mr Schumer had recently expressed his lack of confidence in the FBI chief.

President Trump has repeatedly insisted the Russia allegations are "fake news". He and his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Washington later on Wednesday.

What are Republicans saying?

"I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Jim Comey's termination." - Richard Burr , the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee

, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee "My staff and I are reviewing legislation to establish an independent commission on Russia." - Justin Amash , a conservative Michigan congressman, adding that a line in Mr Trump's letter, that Mr Comey had informed him three times he was not under investigation, was "just bizarre"

, a conservative Michigan congressman, adding that a line in Mr Trump's letter, that Mr Comey had informed him three times he was not under investigation, was "just bizarre" Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse , a longstanding Trump critic, said the "timing of the firing is very troubling"

, a longstanding Trump critic, said the "timing of the firing is very troubling" "I've spent the last several hours trying to find an acceptable rationale for the timing of Comey's firing," Senator Jeff Flake, Republican of Arizona, said on Twitter. "I just can't do it."

A cover-up? Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington

Donald Trump and senior justice department officials are framing the firing of James Comey as a result of his botched investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server. They do so using language that even Clinton backers would probably support.

Democrats, to put it bluntly, aren't buying it, however - not from this White House. They are dismissing this Clinton explanation as a smokescreen, and view the suddenness of the move as an attempt to subvert the ongoing FBI investigation into possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

At the very least, their calls for an independent investigation into the matter will become deafening - and some Republicans may now be inclined to agree.

Read Anthony's analysis

How did Comey handle the email inquiry?

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Comey explains why he went public reopening Clinton email probe

Mr Comey has been criticised by Democrats for the handling of his investigation into whether Mrs Clinton's use of a private email server when secretary of state compromised national security.

The now-former FBI director made two interventions during the 2016 election campaign to make pronouncements about the investigation.

He said in July the case should be closed without prosecution, but then declared - 11 days before November's election - that he had reopened the inquiry because of a discovery of a new trove of Clinton-related emails.

What was Clinton FBI probe about?

He told the Senate last week it had made him "mildly nauseous" to think his intervention could have affected the election, but insisted he would make the same decision again. Mrs Clinton lays part of the blame for her shock election defeat last November on Mr Comey.

He told the Senate Judiciary Committee on 3 May that Mrs Clinton's top aide, Huma Abedin, had forwarded "hundreds and thousands" of emails, "some of which contain classified information", to her husband.

But the FBI conceded on Tuesday that Ms Abedin had sent only two email chains containing classified information to her husband, Anthony Weiner, for printing.

Watergate 2.0?

Image copyright AP Image caption Nixon became the only US president to resign from the job

In June 1972, five men were arrested trying to bug the offices of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) at the Watergate office and hotel complex in Washington. The break-in was traced to President Richard Nixon's supporters.

The firing of James Comey is drawing comparisons with the so-called Saturday Night Massacre of 1973, when Mr Nixon fired an independent special prosecutor investigating the break-in and the subsequent cover-up.

"Not since Watergate has a president dismissed the person leading an investigation bearing on him," the New York Times wrote late on Tuesday.

Mr Nixon later admitted he had been aware of the cover-up and had tried to halt the FBI's inquiry. He later became the only US president to resign.