Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe Andrew George McCabeGraham: Comey to testify about FBI's Russia probe, Mueller declined invitation Barr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' GOP votes to authorize subpoenas, depositions in Obama-era probe MORE defended himself after Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status MORE fired him from the agency on Friday, calling his dismissal an attempt to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE’s probe.

“The idea that I was dishonest is just wrong. This is part of an effort to discredit me as a witness,” McCabe told The New York Times.

McCabe is viewed as a likely witness in Mueller's probe into Russia's election interference. He served as acting head of the FBI after Trump fired former FBI Director 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.

The Washington Post also reported that Trump asked McCabe whom he had voted for in the 2016 election during an Oval Office meeting while McCabe was leading the agency.

Sessions fired McCabe on Friday night after an internal FBI office found that McCabe wasn’t forthcoming during a review by the Justice Department’s inspector general.

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That probe also reportedly included a review of McCabe's decision to allow department officials to talk to the media about an investigation into the Clinton Foundation.

Sessions said in a statement that the FBI's Office of Professional Responsibility and Office of the Inspector General had found McCabe made an unauthorized disclosure to the news media and "lacked candor — including under oath — on multiple occasions."

McCabe was set to retire on Sunday after working for the agency for more than 20 years, and his dismissal could put his pension at risk.

“It’s incredibly unfair to my reputation after a 21-year career,” McCabe told the Times.

He also criticized President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE for attacking him, the FBI and other agency officials.

“The real damage is being done to the FBI, law enforcement and the special counsel,” McCabe said.

Trump and GOP lawmakers had repeatedly attacked McCabe amid claims of an anti-Trump bias at the Justice Department.