Federal Bureau of Investigation Deputy Director Andrew G McCabe stepped down from his post on Monday, after repeated criticism from United States President Donald Trump and pressure from FBI director Christopher Wray, CBS News reported.

An internal communication from Wray to FBI officials said McCabe stepped down ahead of a report from the inspector general that is expected to be critical of the FBI’s moves in 2016, when it was investigating the alleged Russian meddling in the Trump campaign and Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was US secretary of state, The New York Times reported.

The inspector general’s investigation looked into whether McCabe should have recused himself from the Clinton investigation as his wife – who ran for State Senate but did not win – had accepted contributions from then Governor of Virginia Terry McAuliffe, who is a friend of the Clintons, The New York Times report said.

Wray reportedly suggested moving McCabe to another job, which would mean a demotion, reported The New York Times quoting a law enforcement official close to McCabe. A week earlier, there were reports that Trump wanted McCabe to leave.

Responding to McCabe’s stepping down, the White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Monday daily press the decision “was not made by the White House”. She said, “The president was not part of this decision making process.”

McCabe was to retire later this year. Instead, he has decided to go on leave until March 18, when he will retire, The New York Times reported.