Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) on Monday said the nation has a "crisis of public trust" after President Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey.

"I think we have a crisis of public trust right now, and we need to restore that," Sasse told "CBS This Morning."

"The FBI's a really special institution, and the American people need to know they can believe in it."

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Sasse said FBI directors are appointed for 10-year terms "for a reason," noting it's supposed to be "insulated from politics."

"I want to restore the rule of law but also the institutional conventions around that so there's more trust," he said.

Sasse pointed to Congress's low approval ratings.

"We act like that's normal and sustainable. It's not," he said. "All of our institutions are in doubt."

Trump last week fired Comey, explaining in interviews that it was because of the FBI's investigation into Russian election interference.

The move drew heavy criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, with a number of people comparing it to former President Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal, which led to his resignation.