Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia as Comey agrees to testify

Ex-FBI boss James Comey, who was fired by Donald Trump, has agreed to testify publicly before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Although the date of the hearing has not yet been set, it will be scheduled after the 29 May Memorial Day holiday, the committee said.

Committee chairman Senator Richard Burr said he wants to hear from Mr Comey on his role in the development of the US intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia interfered in last year's presidential elections.

Image:Donald Trump and Melania Trump step off Air Force One

He said he hopes Mr Comey's testimony will answer some of the questions that have arisen since the FBI director was suddenly dismissed last week by President Trump.

Top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mark Warner, said in a statement: "Director Comey served his country with honour for many years, and he deserves an opportunity to tell his story. Moreover, the American people deserve an opportunity to hear it."

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The development will come as blow to White House efforts to dampen down interest in the Russia investigation as Mr Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia for his first foreign trip as president.

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The White House has been thrown into turmoil by a string of allegations against Mr Trump this week, including that he may have obstructed justice by asking Mr Comey to drop an investigation into one of his top advisers.

On Friday, The Washington Post reported that a senior White House official was now under investigation as part of an inquiry into Russian efforts to tilt the elections in Trump's favour.