"Fox & Friends" host Brian Kilmeade on Thursday questioned if former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe Andrew George McCabeGraham: Comey to testify about FBI's Russia probe, Mueller declined invitation Barr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' GOP votes to authorize subpoenas, depositions in Obama-era probe MORE opening a probe into President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE could be viewed as a "coup" attempt.

"Are they trying to overthrow the government? Was this a coup?" Kilmeade asked Rep. Devin Nunes Devin Gerald NunesSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Sunday shows preview: With less than two months to go, race for the White House heats up Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington MORE (R-Calif.), the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

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Nunes did not directly respond to the question, but he accused the FBI of opening "a counterintelligence investigation into a political party based on dirt and opposition research from another political party.”

“It is something we should never do in this country," he said. "Every American should be outraged by this. This has been buried by the mainstream media for years now. This has gone on two years. It is absolutely absurd.”

The exchange came just hours after CBS aired a segment of an interview with McCabe in which the former official said he ordered an obstruction of justice probe into Trump immediately after ex-FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE’s firing.

McCabe, who spoke with "60 Minutes" ahead of the release of his book, “The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump," said that he took the step in order to document and protect the Russia investigation due to concerns it may “vanish.”

“I was very concerned that I was able to put the Russia case on absolutely solid ground, in an indelible fashion,” McCabe said. “That were I removed quickly, or reassigned or fired, that the case could not be closed or vanish in the night without a trace."

McCabe also said that top Justice Department officials discussed forming an effort to invoke the 25th Amendment to force Trump out of office following Comey's dismissal in May 2017.