CNN's Tapper: Trump fired FBI director because probe was heating up and Comey wouldn't pledge loyalty

CNN's Jake Tapper said on Wednesday's edition of "The Lead" that a source told him that President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey for two reasons: One was that the FBI probe was heating up and the other was the fact that Comey refused to pledge his personal loyalty to the president in the investigation.

In an essay at CNN.com, Tapper laid out the evidence.

"The official White House version of what happened is that deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, fresh on the job, wrote a memo expressing concern about the way Comey had handled the Hillary Clinton email investigation," Tapper said. "But mounting evidence suggests Comey was actually fired because of the Russian investigation."

"White House officials tell CNN the president had been considering firing Comey since he took office, but most intensely for at least a week before Tuesday's fateful decision," wrote Tapper. "Comey testified May 3 to the Senate Judiciary Committee about the Clinton email investigation and the Russia election investigation."

He elaborated during Wednesday's edition of "The Lead."

The FBI investigation into whether Trump's campaign and transition team colluded with Russian officials, Tapper said, "That's still not only an active investigation, it's actually accelerating."

Associates of Trump and his advisers have received grand jury subpoenas to appear in court regarding disgraced former national security adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.

Watch the video, embedded below: