US ex-FBI chief’s first testimony to be held on Thursday

Senate intelligence committee Chairman Richard Burr said on Tuesday that former FBI chief James Comey is to testify before the committee on Thursday, which marks the first public testimony on his firing and interactions with US President Donald Trump.

A key question Comey is likely to face is whether he believes Trump tried to obstruct an ongoing federal probe of his associates. Meanwhile, Comey is expected to provide evidence on his removal and the investigation into possible Russian collusion with the 2016 presidential campaign. National intelligence chief Daniel Coats is also set to testify the day before Comey’s testimony and he is to be questioned about his interactions with Trump.

Since Trump suddenly fired Comey on May 9, associates of the former FBI cheif have revealed the president had repeatedly pressed him about the investigation of possible contacts between his associates and Russian operatives. It is threatening to dampen Trump's legislative agenda of rolling back Barack Obama's healthcare reforms and overhauling the tax code.

(CGTN)