FBI's James Comey Firing: White House Says Trump Had Been Losing Confidence For Months

President Trump fought back Wednesday against critics of his decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, even as details emerged painting a picture of a White House that was not prepared for the firestorm that quickly developed. The president's decision to fire Comey has led to renewed bipartisan calls for a special prosecutor and questions about the future of the probe into Russian involvement in the 2016 election.

The White House had hoped to release the news late Tuesday in an emailed statement, according to officials who added that there was a belief that Democrats who had been critical of Comey's handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe would be supportive.

It was not to be the case.

WATCH: Senate Battle Lines Drawn Over Comey Firing

Officials say it quickly became apparent that there were things that could have been handled differently, including how Comey was fired. While the White House had longtime Trump associate Keith Schiller hand deliver a letter to the Justice Department, Comey himself was in Los Angeles speaking with agents and ended up finding out about his dismissal through television reports.

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So, while Press Secretary Sean Spicer had told reporters that the press release would be the administration's only statement on the firing last night, he soon after found himself on the White House lawn meeting with reporters.

And the president — who has not had a public appearance for six straight days and was not expected to comment on the firing — took to Twitter to do just that.

"James Comey will be replaced by someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI," he went on to tweet. "Comey lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike. When things calm down, they will be thanking me!"

Trump later spoke briefly on the firing before a meeting with former Nixon official Henry Kissinger.

"He was not doing a good job," Trump said.

Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that Trump's decision came after building doubts about Comey's performance — despite the president having voiced confidence in the FBI Director.

Just last month, Trump said: "I have confidence in him."

"The president over the last several months lost confidence in Director Comey," she said.

As for Trump firing Comey, supposedly for behavior that Trump had praised while a candidate, Sanders presented a picture of Trump as a political opportunist.

"The president was wearing a different hat back then," she said. "He was a candidate."

The White House also sent Vice President Mike Pence to Capitol Hill where he met with reporters.

"The president made the right decision at the right time," Pence said. "He showed strong and decisive leadership."

Pence also said that the decision — which he claimed had nothing to do with the investigation into connections between Russia and Trump associates — was initiated by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

Sources in and out of the administration tell Patch that while Rosenstein authored the memo laying out a rationale for firing Comey based on his handling of the probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server, the idea did not originate with him.

Despite Pence's appearance on the Hill to rally Republicans behind the president's move, not everyone was on board.

"Regardless of how you think Director Comey handled the unprecedented complexities of the 2016 election cycle, the timing of this firing is very troubling," said Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"I have reached out to the Deputy Attorney General for clarity on his rationale for recommending this action."

Comey's firing came less than one week after he met with Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, and asked for more resources for the Russian probe, according to two sources who were familiar with the request.

In the meeting, Comey conceded that the probe could be moving faster.

The bureau — on an interim basis — will be headed by Andrew McCabe, the deputy director who has also been criticized by Republicans who have portrayed him as a partisan Democrat.

"He's got political problems," said Sen. Charles Grassley, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. "I don't think he should be taking over."

Sen. John McCain said that the firing underscores what he has been saying — that there is an urgent need for a special committee to investigate Russian involvement in the 2016 election.

Party leaders made it clear they don't support the call for a special committee or a special prosecutor.

Pence said there is no need, and Sen. Richard Burr, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that his committee will continue its probe.

At the same time, Burr conceded, "The timing of this and the reasoning for it doesn't make sense to me."

Officials — who were not authorized to discuss internal White House discussions — say the administration could name another interim director while the search for a permanent director goes on.

McCabe will appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday in place of Comey.

In the Senate, Dianne Feinstein — the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee — asked the Republicans to bring Justice Department officials before the committee to discuss the firing.

She said that the president had called her before the firing was announced to inform her what he had done and that he did it because "the department is a mess."

Feinstein disclosed that Trump had called her and other senators to inform them of the decision.

Deputy Press Secretary Sanders said that Democratic criticism of Comey's firing is the "purest form of hypocrisy. If Hillary had won, she would have fired Comey immediately and Democrats would have been dancing in the streets."

Pool photo via Getty Images News/Getty Images