WASHINGTON — FBI Director Christopher Wray plans to resign at the end of the Biden administration, when President-elect Donald Trump takes office, Wray told bureau officials on Wednesday.
“After weeks of careful consideration, I have decided that the right thing to do for the Bureau is to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then resign,” Wray said, according to prepared remarks. “My goal is to keep the focus on our mission – the essential work you do every day on behalf of the American people. In my view, this is the best way to avoid drawing the Agency deeper into the fray, while at the same time reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to the way we do our work.”
Trump has already said he will nominate Kash Patel for the job of FBI director, which is typically for a 10-year term, part of a post-Watergate overhaul aimed at making FBI directors less dependent on the whims of presidents.
A senior FBI official told NBC News that the current plan is for Christopher Wray to remain as FBI director until January 20, when the new administration takes over.
Afterwards, current FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate will be named acting director and will remain in office until a new FBI director is confirmed.
Trump indicated in a recent interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he was not “enthusiastic” about Wray, saying Wray had “invaded Mar-a-Lago” — a reference to the FBI’s 2022 search to classified documents that led to Trump’s 2023 indictment on seven criminal charges — and that he wanted someone to “fix” the agency.
“I mean, it seems kind of obvious that if Kash comes in, he’s going to take someone’s place, right?” Trump responded to the question of whether he would fire Wray if he did not resign on his own.
Wray, a Republican, was appointed by Trump in 2017 after then-President James Comey fired as FBI director. Comey’s departure led to the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate the Trump campaign and Russian interference in the 2016 election. Under normal protocol, Wray’s term would have expired in 2027, although Mueller is the only person to have served a full term as FBI director since the 10-year post-Watergate standard was implemented. Only two FBI directors (including Comey) have been kicked out.
Republican confidence in the FBI has plummeted in the nearly decade since Trump descended the golden escalator in 2015 and announced his run for president of the United States. Although the bureau has traditionally been a generally conservative-leaning organization filled with law enforcement and military veterans (who have an advantage in the FBI hiring process), Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill and in the conservative media have portrayed the FBI as like a hotbed. of liberalism and home to the ‘deep state’ determined to take him down.
Although most of the FBI’s work takes place well outside day-to-day politics, much of the public discussion about the bureau’s work in recent years has focused on political matters, many involving Trump.
Trump wrote on his social media website that Wray’s departure would be “a great day for America because it will end the arming of what has become known as the United States Department of Justice.”
“I just don’t know what happened to him,” Trump wrote of the man he chose to become FBI director after firing Comey. “We will now restore the rule of law to all Americans. Under the leadership of Christopher Wray, the FBI illegally raided my home for no reason, worked hard to illegally accuse and indict me, and did everything else to disrupt America’s success and future.”
Wray said Wednesday it was not an easy decision to resign.
“I love this place, I love our mission, and I love our people – but my focus is, and always has been, on us and on doing what’s right for the FBI,” he said. “When you look at where the threats are going, it’s clear that the importance of our work – keeping Americans safe and upholding the Constitution – will not change. And what absolutely cannot and should not change is our commitment to doing the right thing, the right way, every time.
“Our adherence to our core values, our commitment to independence and objectivity, and our defense of the rule of law – these fundamental aspects of who we are must never change,” Wray continued. “That is the real strength of the FBI – the importance of our mission, the quality of our people and their commitment to self-serve. It is an unshakable foundation that has stood the test of time and cannot be easily moved. , the men and women of the FBI – are the reason the Bureau will continue to exist and succeed long into the future.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland said Wray “served our country honorably and with integrity for decades, including seven years as director of the FBI under presidents of both parties.”
The FBI director is “responsible for protecting the FBI’s independence from undue influence in its criminal investigations,” Garland continued, saying this is “critical to preserving the rule of law and protecting freedoms that we as Americans hold dear” for the FBI. to maintain its independence.
Natalie Bara, the president of the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA), thanked Wray in a statement for his leadership “during challenging times with a steady focus on doing the work that keeps our country safe.”
FBI Special Agents, Bara said, “will always be focused on our essential mission – protecting this great nation, protecting communities and upholding the United States Constitution. This commitment is at the core of who we are as Special Agents, and it does not waver when there are changes in a presidential administration or when leadership in the Bureau changes.”
Bara said the FBIAA “welcomes the opportunity to meet with President-elect Trump’s team to discuss the perspectives and priorities of rank-and-file FBI Special Agents.”
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., thanked Wray “for his service to our nation, and all the men and women of the FBI for their continued efforts to protect our safety and freedom,” warning that the bureau would “be starting soon” . into a dangerous new era with serious questions about its future.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who wrote a letter this week urging Wray to “move on” with his job, said Wray’s “departure is an opportunity for a new era of transparency and accountability at the FBI.”
A source familiar with the Trump transition team’s thinking said the team “has confidence in Kash Patel and is confident he will be ready to serve the American people on day one.”
Patel, who met with senators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday ahead of an expected confirmation vote next year, said he looks forward to “a very smooth transition,” adding: “I’m ready to go on day one. The Senators have It was great, and I want to earn their trust in the advice and consent process and restoring law and order and integrity to the FBI.”
Trump said on Truth Social that he “has great respect for the rank and file of the FBI, and they have great respect for me. They want to see these changes as much as I do, but more importantly, the American People demand a strong, but fair justice system. We want our FBI back, and it will happen now. I look forward to Kash Patel’s confirmation so that the process of Making the FBI Great Again can begin.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
