Sources within the Trump administration have downplayed rumours that Russian diplomat Sergei Lavrov is in the running to become the next Director of the FBI.
Lavrov, who was appointed Russia’s Foreign Minister in 2004, is believed to be the President’s top choice for the post, following the dismissal of James Comey on Tuesday.
Trump’s team have been quick to deny any Russian influence over the decision, claiming that critics highlighting Lavrov’s nationality and position within Vladimir Putin’s government are just “fake news”.
“Sure, he’s Russian. Sure, he’s Putin’s Foreign Minister,” said Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway, “but those are just ‘facts’. They don’t mean anything. He says he wants to make America great again, and we totally believe him, 100%.”
Meanwhile, Moscow refused to be drawn on reports that all news footage featuring President Trump was being overlaid with an instrumental version of Sandie Shaw’s Eurovision hit “Puppet On A String”.
