This story was updated at 1:05 p.m.

Top officials from the Obama administration condemned President Trump for the abrupt firing of former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

Less than 48 hours before McCabe, a 21-year veteran of the bureau, was set to formally retire and collect a full pension, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that he had been terminated.

Eric Holder, who served as former President Barack Obama's attorney general, called his ouster "dangerous."

"Analyze McCabe firing on two levels: the substance and the timing," Holder tweeted. "We don’t know enough about the substance yet. The timing appears cruel and a cave that compromised DOJ independence to please an increasingly erratic President who should’ve played no role here. This is dangerous."



Analyze McCabe firing on two levels: the substance and the timing. We don’t know enough about the substance yet. The timing appears cruel and a cave that compromised DOJ independence to please an increasingly erratic President who should’ve played no role here. This is dangerous — Eric Holder (@EricHolder) March 17, 2018

Former CIA Director John Brennan warned Trump could be taking the U.S. on a path towards destruction, but claimed "America will triumph over you."



When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history. You may scapegoat Andy McCabe, but you will not destroy America...America will triumph over you. https://t.co/uKppoDbduj — John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) March 17, 2018



Trump, who along with Republican allies previously accused McCabe of bias, celebrated his removal as "great day for democracy."



Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - A great day for Democracy. Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2018



Former Obama senior adviser David Axelrod responded to Trump's tweet, calling it a "flagrant victory dance from the man who ordered the hit."



If you had any doubt about whether the McCabe firing was an act of retribution, here is a flagrant victory dance from the man who ordered the hit. He just couldn’t resist. https://t.co/VLPaeSKuTY — David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) March 17, 2018



Also reacting to Trump's tweet was Ben Rhodes, who served as Obama's deputy national security adviser. He chided Trump's "strategy" as perhaps not the best approach to governing or the Russia investigation.

The whole "attack the FBI that is investigating you and humiliate career public servants" strategy maybe isn't the best approach to either governing or the Russia investigation. https://t.co/JvT9Yvdq1w — Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) March 17, 2018



McCabe has rejected reports from the FBI's Office of Personal Responsibility and Office of Inspector General, which concluded he made unauthorized leaks and made disingenuous statements under oath. In a statement late Friday that there has been an effort to "slander" him and accused the push to remove him as being part of the Trump administration's "ongoing war on the FBI and the efforts of the Special Counsel investigation," which is looking at whether members of the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 election.