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US President Donald Trump reacted angrily after a television interview on Sunday that officials had held talks for his dismissal.
Mr. Trump tweeted "illegal and treacherous" behavior and an "illegal coup d'etat".
In the interview, Andrew McCabe, former acting FBI chief, said talks had been held in 2017 to invoke a clause that could dismiss a president found unfit.
The chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate is committed to investigate these accusations.
Lindsey Graham said that it was "an attempt to blow bureaucratic state".
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McCabe said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had had talks on the number of cabinet members and other people needed to invoke the 25th Amendment clause of the US Constitution.
How did Mr. Trump respond to the claims?
In a series of tweets Monday morning, he condemned "so many lies now dishonored, the acting director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, he was fired for lying and his story is even more disturbing.
"He and Rod Rosenstein, who was hired by [then Attorney General] Jeff Sessions (another beauty), it looks like they were planning a very illegal act and that they got caught. "
Mr. Trump added, "There are many explanations to give to the millions of people who come to elect a president who really pleases them and who has done a great job for them." Veterinarians. 39 economy and so much more.This was the "illegal insurance and treason in action!"
The president quoted a comment on the Fox and Friends program saying it was "an illegal coup d'etat", adding "True!"
The White House said McCabe, who was fired last year for allegedly lied to government investigators, had "no credibility".
The Department of Justice said McCabe's story was "inaccurate and factually inaccurate".
What is the context of this?
The allegations that Mr. Rosenstein made about the 25th Amendment were first reported last year by The New York Times.
However, Mr. McCabe's quotations are the first to be recorded by someone present at the meeting where the alleged comments were made – in May 2017, following the dismissal of Mr. Trump's director of the FBI, James Comey .
"The discussion of the 25th Amendment was simply [that] Rod raised the issue and discussed it with me as part of the reflection on the number of Cabinet representatives likely to support such an effort, "he said.
Mr. McCabe also stated that Mr. Rosenstein "openly advertised the number of votes or the number of votes possible" and that he was "very concerned" by the President "of his abilities and his intention at that time. the".
"To be fair, it was an incredibly stressful time … it's really something that he threw into a very frantic chaotic conversation."
Previously, Mr. Rosenstein had strongly denied having such discussions, stating that there was "no motive" for invoking the amendment.
What did Mr. McCabe say else?
During the 60-minute interview, broadcast on Sunday, Mr. McCabe also covered the allegations that Mr. Rosenstein had proposed to secretly record Mr. Trump, while he was worried about obstructing the justice in connection with the investigation into alleged collusion between the President's team and Russia.
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AFP
Rod Rosenstein previously stated that there was "no basis for invoking the 25th Amendment"
When the allegations were first published in the New York Times, Rosenstein said the report was "inaccurate and factually inaccurate".
A source told the BBC at that time that Rosenstein's comment "was sarcastic and that it was never discussed with any intention of recording a conversation with the president. ".
However, Mr. McCabe stated that Mr. Rosenstein "was not joking, he was absolutely serious".
"It was incredibly turbulent, incredibly stressful, and it was clear to me that this stress was – had an impact on the Deputy Attorney General."
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He added, "I have never really considered accepting it."
What was Sen Graham's response?
He described McCabe's words as "narcotics" and pledged to hold a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee to determine "who is telling the truth".
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Reuters
Senator Lindsey Graham said she was "stunned" by Andrew McCabe's latest comments.
He said he could issue subpoenas – a court order requiring a witness to testify – "if that's what it takes".
The powerful committee he chairs oversees the US judicial system.
What is the 25th amendment?
It provides for the dismissal of a president if he is "unable to exercise his powers and duties". What that means exactly is subject to interpretation.
The tasks are transferred to the Vice President.
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Activation of the relevant section of the 25th amendment would require the approval of eight of the 15 members of Mr. Trump's cabinet, vice-chair and a two-thirds majority of Congress.
Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush used the amendment to temporarily transfer power after medical anesthesia.
Who is Andrew McCabe?
He took office as acting director of the FBI in 2017 and was dismissed from his position as deputy director last March, just two days before his retirement.
Jeff Sessions fired him, saying that an internal review had revealed that he had leaked information and misled investigators.
Mr McCabe denied these accusations and claimed to have been targeted because of his involvement in the investigation of complicity with Russia.
He has now written a book about his time in his messages.
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