Story highlights Speaker Ryan: 'I think Russia did meddle in our election'

Former FBI Director James Comey is scheduled to testify on the Hill on Thursday

Washington (CNN) House Speaker Paul Ryan said it's "obviously" inappropriate for President Donald Trump to have asked ousted FBI Director James Comey to pledge his loyalty.

When asked by MSNBC's Greta Van Susteren on Wednesday whether the request was appropriate, the Wisconsin Republican answered: "I mean, obviously I don't think that is. I think Director Comey will probably get a lot of questions about that tomorrow, will be my guess."

Appropriate for POTUS to ask FBI director for loyalty? @SpeakerRyan: "Obviously I don't think that is" --FTR @MSNBC https://t.co/rKmmQpTvDO — Greta Van Susteren (@greta) June 7, 2017

Ryan was responding to claims made by Comey in his opening statement , which was released one day ahead of his appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday.

In it, the former FBI official -- who was leading the probe into Russia's meddling into the 2016 election -- wrote that Trump told him "I expect loyalty." Comey said the President also asked him to stop investigating former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and publicly declare that Trump was not under investigation.

"FBI directors are supposed to be independent," Ryan said of the Trump-Comey interactions. "That's something that's very, very critical."

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