President Donald Trump defended his firing of FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday (May 10) fighting a storm of criticism that the ouster was aimed at blunting an agency probe into his presidential campaign’s possible collusion with Russia to sway the 2016 election.

The Republican president’s abrupt move on Tuesday stunned Washington and was swiftly condemned by Democrats and by some in his own party.

People on the street in Washington early Wednesday reacted to Comey’s firing with “shock” and “concern.”

Many Democrats have criticized Comey’s management of the Clinton probe, they said they were troubled by the timing of his dismissal, given that Trump could have acted soon after taking office on Jan. 20 and has repeatedly criticized the FBI and congressional probes into Russian involvement in the election.