White House: Obama Doesn't Believe FBI Director Trying to Influence Election

President Barack Obama believes FBI Director James Comey is a man of integrity and is not trying to influence the U.S. presidential election by announcing scrutiny of additional emails linked to Democrat Hillary Clinton's private server, the White House said on Monday.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest also said he has no "independent knowledge" of how Comey had arrived at his decision to make public the FBI email investigation or "what factors were considered" in his decision to discuss the issue publicly. 

Earnest said he would neither "defend nor criticize" Comey's decision to disclose the FBI's renewed probe.

He said there are significant institutional responsibilities that the Department of Justice must fulfill.

He said Comey is in a tough spot, but the FBI director is in the best position to defend his actions in the face of significant criticism.

Material from The Associated Press and Reuters was used in this report.