James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE says in a new interview that he is not attempting to "make fun" of President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE with comments about the president in his book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, And Leadership."

The former FBI chief told NPR that his remarks about the size of Trump's hands were meant to paint a picture for the reader, not as a slight.

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"I'm not making fun of the president. I'm trying to be an author, which I've never been before in my life," Comey says. "While I'm typing, I can hear my editor's voice ringing in my head, 'bring the reader with you. Show them inside your head. Bring them with you.' "

" 'Describe the president's hands?' " NPR Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep responded. "Can you hear the editor saying that?"

"No, but that was on my mind," Comey says. "And by the way, not that this matters, but I found his hands to be above average in size, and so I'm not making fun of the man, I'm trying to tell the reader what's in my head."

Comey's remarks come after readers noted an excerpt from his book in which the former FBI director describes meeting Trump in person for the first time. Comey describes how he “made a mental note to check [his hand] size.”

The size of Trump's hands has been a running joke among critics after former GOP candidate Sen. Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioOvernight Defense: Pentagon redirects pandemic funding to defense contractors | US planning for full Afghanistan withdrawal by May | Anti-Trump GOP group puts ads in military papers Democrats step up hardball tactics as Supreme Court fight heats up Press: Notorious RBG vs Notorious GOP MORE (R-Fla.) mocked Trump over the size of his hands during a campaign rally during the 2016 GOP primary.

Comey goes on in the interview to explain how his physical descriptions of presidents help bring his audience into the West Wing in his new book.

"When I talk about President Obama, I talk about how skinny he struck me, as — I'm not trying to make fun of President Obama," Comey goes on. "I'm trying to show the reader this is how I was experiencing the world, and bring them into those rooms with me."

Comey's book is expected to be an immediate bestseller and has already topped the Amazon bestseller list ahead of its release this week.