'It's a debacle': Republicans seethe at 'rank amateurs' in Trump White House for botched Comey firing

Publicly, most Congressional Republicans are toeing the White House line by backing the Trump administration's decision to fire former FBI Director James Comey.

Behind the scenes, however, some Republicans are reportedly singing a very different tune.

Two anonymous GOP officials tell Axios' Mike Allen that they recognize the Trump White House has completely botched the Comey firing, as the administration's ever-shifting explanations and questionable timing have created a perfect storm that will maximize political damage.

"It is a debacle," one Republican in "constant" contact with the White House tells Allen. "They got everything — timing, rationale, reaction — completely wrong."

Another Republican, meanwhile, tells Allen that Trump should prepare himself for an even more brutal round of leaks now that both the CIA and the FBI feel threatened by his presidency.

"The team are rank amateurs who picked a fight with the intelligence agencies and the FBI," the Republican said. "Hard to unite those historically competitive organizations. And they have the ability to find out almost anything!"