Former Sen. Joe Lieberman has emerged as the likely pick to replace recently fired FBI Director James Comey, Politico reported Thursday.

Trump met with four candidates for the top law enforcement job on Wednesday, including Lieberman, and reportedly bonded with the former Democratic vice presidential candidate, Politico reported citing a person familiar with the meeting.

Trump told one adviser that he is hoping to announce his FBI director pick before he departs Friday on a nine-day trip abroad – his first overseas excursion since taking office in January.

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Lieberman, who served as a senator from Connecticut from 1989 until his retirement in 2013 as a Democrat and then independent, was Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore Albert (Al) Arnold GoreFox's Napolitano: 2000 election will look like 'child's play' compared to 2020 legal battles Who calls an election? Why we need patience and nonpartisanship this time Universal mail-in voting jeopardizes the equal right to vote, but absentee voting protects it MORE's running mate in the 2000 election. He currently works at the law firm Kasowitz Benson Torres in New York – the same firm as Trump's attorney Marc Kasowitz.

Trump abruptly fired Comey last week, stirring controversy in Washington and raising questions from Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans over the president's reasoning and timing for the decision.