Trump should be banned from holding public office, ex-FBI director says

Former FBI director James Comey says Donald Trump should be tried and convicted in the U.S. Senate for his role during the Capitol Hill riots earlier this month.

"It's an offence committed in broad daylight in front of the whole country," Comey said in an interview Wednesday with Power & Politics host Vassy Kapelos.

Trump, the former U.S. president,is currently facing a historic second trial in the Senateafter the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted to impeach him for a second time.

Lawmakers have accused the former president of "inciting an insurrection" in his role during the Jan. 6 siege in the U.S. Capitol that left five people dead.

The ex-FBI director, who was fired by Trump in May 2017, saidTrump should be held accountable.

"I think it's a very important first step that he was impeached, the only president in American history, to be impeached twice," he said.

Comey also saidlawmakers should go further and ban Trump from running for public office in the future.

"Part of the accountability for the attack on Capitol Hill has to be him being found to have committed it and then most importantly, maybe of all, is barred from ever holding office again," he said.

Opening arguments in the trial are set to begin in the week of Feb.8.