(CNN) Former FBI Director James Comey said that although Donald Trump is "morally unfit" to be president, it's not grounds to be removed from office through the impeachment process.

When asked in an exclusive interview with ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos if he believes Trump should be impeached, Comey answered, "I hope not."

He went on to say, "Because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe they're duty bound to do directly."

"People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values," Comey said. "And so impeachment, in a way, would short circuit that."

Comey sat down with Stephanopoulos for his first television interview since being fired by Trump last year to promote his upcoming book, "A Higher Loyalty."

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