New FBI head could be named next week, says Donald Trump

President Donald Trump said today that he could name a new FBI director by next week before he leaves on his first foreign trip since taking office.

"Even that is possible," he told reporters when asked whether he could announce his nominee by Friday, when he is scheduled to leave for the Mideast and Europe.

"I think the process is going to go quickly. Almost all of them are very well known," Trump said while flying to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he gave the commencement address at Liberty University.

"They've been vetted over their lifetime essentially, but very well known, highly respected, really talented people. And that's what we want for the FBI," he said.

According to media reports, the Trump administration is considering four candidates to replace fired FBI Director James Comey. They are acting FBI Director James McCabe, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, a former assistant attorney general Alice Fisher and Judge Michael J Garcia of the New York Court of Appeals.

The Trump administration is looking to fill the job, which requires Senate confirmation, after Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday.