FBI Director Christopher Wray told staff inside the town hall on Wednesday that he is resigning, according to sources familiar with the meeting.
He said he will step down at the end of the current Biden administration.
“After weeks of careful consideration, I have decided that the best thing for the Board is to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then step down. My goal is to remain focused on our mission, which is essential. The work you do every day on behalf of the American people, I believe, is to deepen the Board’s fight. to avoid, strengthening the values and principles that are so important to our work”, he said in his statement.
In this Sept. 4, 2024, file photo, FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks during a meeting of the Election Threat Task Force at the Justice Department in Washington, DC.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images, FILE
“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 on the FBI. doing the right thing,” he said.
“When you look at where the threats are headed, it’s clear that the importance of our job — keeping Americans safe and defending the Constitution — will not change. And what absolutely cannot, should not, is our commitment to doing it right, the right way, our core values. adherence, our dedication to independence and objectivity and the defense of the rule of law – these fundamental aspects of who we are must never change,” he said. he said
“That is the true strength of the FBI: the importance of our mission, the quality of our people, and their dedication to service above self. It is a foundation that cannot be shaken, that has stood the test of time and cannot be easily moved. And… – you, the men and women of the FBI – – that’s why the Office will survive and succeed in the future”, he continued.
Wray, who was appointed to a 10-year term by President-elect Donald Trump and confirmed in August 2017, oversaw the agency in an “increased threat environment” and high-profile cases, including the investigation of the man he appointed. .
Congress changed the FBI director’s term to 10 years to address concerns about political interference.
As FBI director, Wray oversaw the investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob, hundreds of Chinese espionage cases, investigations into Trump and President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents, and thousands of other criminal investigations. .
Wray was appointed by Trump after Trump fired his predecessor, James Comey.
President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director Kash Patel attends a meeting with Senator Josh Hawley on Capitol Hill in Washington, December 2024.
Shawn Thew/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Republican critics have accused Wray’s FBI of political interference, lack of transparency and lack of responsiveness to Congress.
Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Wray on Dec. 9 expressing a “vote of confidence” in Wray and his deputy director.
“For the good of the country, it is time for you and your congressman to move on to the next chapter of your lives,” Grassley wrote.
Trump has tapped Kash Patel to replace Wray at the FBI.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
