In his memoir 'A Higher Loyalty', former FBI director James Comey offers a detailed account of his clashes with President Donald Trump, while also reflecting on his own career and principles. Standing at 6ft 8in, Comey describes himself as 'the FBI giraffe', a height that has both set him apart and led to awkward physical moments, such as banging his head on a White House door before a meeting with George W Bush.
Comey recounts his interactions with Trump, including a White House reception where the president attempted to hug him, which Comey saw as an inappropriate act of collusion between branches of government. He also describes briefing Trump on the unverified Steele dossier, calling it an 'out-of-body experience'. Comey contrasts Trump's behaviour with his own adherence to legal ideals, likening Trump to the Cosa Nostra bosses he prosecuted in New York.
The memoir also delves into Comey's personal life, including being bullied at school and held hostage by an armed burglar as a child, as well as the loss of a newborn son. He emphasises the importance of humour and vulnerability, noting that Trump is incapable of laughter and prefers to sneer. Comey's principles, he suggests, are as inflexible as his elongated limbs, and he indirectly criticises Trump's leadership style throughout the book.
Comey's academic background includes a college thesis on theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, whose ideas about entering the political realm to combat wrongdoing influenced him. On Twitter, Comey used Niebuhr's name as an alias, contrasting with Trump's use of the pseudonym John Barron in the 1980s. The book ultimately portrays Comey as a high-minded figure navigating a politically charged environment.
