An internal investigation concluded Mr McCabe misled investigators who were looking into his decision to let FBI officials speak to the media about a probe into the Clinton Foundation, leading the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility to recommend Attorney General Jeff Sessions fire Mr McCabe, according to CNN and the New York Times.

A Justice Department representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr McCabe announced that he was stepping aside in January and taking a leave of absence. It had been widely rumoured that he was planning to retire once he became eligible for a full pension this month.

His departure followed months of attacks from Mr Trump, who has lambasted the Department of Justice and the FBI as compromised by the presence of partisan officials.

The President repeatedly took to Twitter to blast Mr McCabe’s role overseeing FBI investigations of the Clinton Foundation - a philanthropic enterprise established by former President Bill Clinton - and of former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server when she was Secretary of State.

Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Show all 17 1 /17 Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Pete Marovich/Bloomberg/Getty Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg/Getty Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Evan Vucci/AP Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Democratic presidential candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, before the House Benghazi Committee. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) AP Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Carolyn Kaster/AP Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Carolyn Kaster/AP Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Hillary Clinton testifies before House Select Committee on Benghazi Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty

“FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!” Mr Trump wrote in December.

The President has assailed donations to Mr McCabe’s wife, a Democrat running for a spot in Virginia’s state legislature, from a political group overseen by former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, a Clinton ally.

Republicans, including Trump campaign surrogates, have suggested that Ms Clinton traded donations to the Clinton Foundation for influence. Representatives for Ms Clinton have said she never acted in an official capacity based on donations.

Trump: 'Hillary Clinton lied many times to the FBI. Nothing happened to her. Flynn lied and they destroyed his life.'

After Mr McCabe stepped aside in January, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Mr Trump did not play a role in the decision.