Comey came under fire during President Obama’s final year due to his handling of the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton. Comey made waves with a public address discussing the decision not to recommend charges against Clinton. He drew further criticism when he announced in the weeks before the election that the investigation was continuing, only to state soon after that Clinton was cleared.
Keeping Comey allows Trump to avoid naming a replacement, who would have to go through a confirmation process. Comey began a 10-year term as FBI Director in 2013, when he was appointed by President Barack Obama.