It’s well-known President Trump wants Deputy Director Andrew McCabe gone, so he instructed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to have McCabe’s boss, FBI Director Christopher Wray, fire the holdover from the James Comey era, but Wray, who has been on the job since taking over for Comey in August, pushed back hard, threatening to resign if McCabe was removed, Axios reported Monday. Sessions had already urged Wray to fire the core senior leadership at the bureau shortly after the former assistant attorney general under George W. Bush was confirmed.

Trump has relentlessly gone after McCabe in public; the New York Times reported the 49-year-old career civil servant planned to retire in 2018 when he becomes eligible for his pension.

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017

How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin’ James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wife’s campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017

Why didn't A.G. Sessions replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation but got.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

...big dollars ($700,000) for his wife's political run from Hillary Clinton and her representatives. Drain the Swamp! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

“Sessions told White House Counsel Don McGahn about how upset Wray was about the pressure on him to fire McCabe, and McGahn told Sessions this issue wasn’t worth losing the FBI Director over,” a source familiar with the situation told Axios.