WASHINGTON — FBI Director Christopher Wray plans to resign at the end of the Biden administration, he announced in remarks on Wednesday.
The announcement comes amid the pressure of being fired by President-elect Donald Trump after Trump nominated Kash Patel as his choice to lead the bureau.
“After weeks of careful thought, I’ve decided the right thing for the Bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current Administration in January and then step down,” Wray said, in prepared remarks. “My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day. In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the Bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.”
Wray was hired by Trump in 2017 after he fired James Comey as FBI director, prompting the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate the Trump campaign.
“It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway — this is not easy for me. I love this place, I love our mission, and I love our people — but my focus is, and always has been, on us and doing what’s right for the FBI,” Wray added.
Wray’s announcement comes just days after Trump’s interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press”, where he said that he wasn’t “thrilled” with the current FBI Director. He lied that Wray “invaded Mar-a-Lago” — recalling the 2022 FBI search for classified documents that led to Trump’s 2023 indictment on seven criminal charges. He added that he wanted someone in place to “straighten” out the bureau.
“I mean, it would sort of seem pretty obvious that if Kash gets in, he’s going to be taking somebody’s place, right?” Trump said.
Trump issued a lied-filled statement following Wray’s announcement, slamming the FBI’s multiple investigations after he left office.
“Under the leadership of Christopher Wray, the FBI illegally raided my home, without cause, worked diligently on illegally impeaching and indicting me, and has done everything else to interfere with the success and future of America,” Trump wrote. “They have used their vast powers to threaten and destroy many innocent Americans, some of which will never be able to recover from what has been done to them.”
Congress changed the FBI director’s tenure to 10 years to years to address concerns about political interference.
Republican confidence in the FBI has plummeted since Trump entered the political arena, saying it is the home of the “deep state” determined to take him down but have never provided evidence as to why they say that.
