PANIC IN PUTINVILLE:

[A]fter news of Comey's pushback surfaced, White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked by George Stephanopoulos on ABC's Good Morning America if Trump accepted the FBI director's word on the subject.

"You know, I don't think he does, George," she replied. "I think he firmly believes that this is a storyline that has been reported pretty widely by quite a few outlets. The wiretapping has been discussed in The New York Times, BBC, Fox News and we believe that it should be looked at by the House Intelligence Committee."

The stories she cited, as Stephanopoulos pointed out immediately, do not actually back up Trump's claim that there was a presidential directive to place Trump Tower under surveillance. [...]

As one of the nation's top law enforcement officials, Comey is in what seems to be an untenable position. Being questioned by the president, however unfairly, will open up Comey and the agents who work for him to claims that other cases are being brought under dubious circumstances. For that reason, his resignation has become a real possibility.

If he doesn't resign, it's hard to see how he doesn't get fired. Given the extraordinary power of the FBI director, it would be difficult for the White House to fail to demand Comey's resignation. If the president really believes that Comey isn't speaking truthfully to the public, the only responsible step would be to immediately replace him.

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