FBI Director Christopher Wray informed employees during an internal town hall meeting on Wednesday that he plans to resign, as reported by sources familiar with the gathering.
He said he is stepping down at the end of the current Biden administration.
“After careful consideration over the past few weeks, I have concluded that it is in the Bureau’s best interest for me to continue to lead until the end of the current Administration in January and then step aside. My aim is to ensure that the focus remains on our mission – the crucial work you carry out daily on behalf of the American people. I believe this approach will help prevent the Bureau from being further entangled in the current controversies, all the while upholding the values and principles that are fundamental to our work,” he stated.
FILE – FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sept. 24, 2020.
Tom Williams/Pool via AP, File
“While it may seem obvious, I want to emphasize that this decision has not been easy for me. I hold a deep affection for this organization, our mission, and our employees – yet my priority has always been, and continues to be, the welfare of the FBI and the pursuit of what is right,” he expressed.
“When you look at where the threats are headed, it’s clear that the importance of our work– keeping Americans safe and upholding the Constitution — will not change. And what absolutely cannot, must not change is our commitment to doing the right thing, the right way, every time. Our adherence to our core values, our dedication to independence and objectivity, and our defense of the rule of law – those fundamental aspects of who we are must never change,” he said. “That’s the real strength of the FBI-the importance of our mission, the quality of our people, and their dedication to service over self. It’s an unshakeable foundation that’s stood the test of time, and cannot be easily moved. And it – you, the men and women of the FBI – are why the Bureau will endure and remain successful long into the future.”
Wray, who was appointed by President-elect Donald Trump and confirmed in August 2017, oversaw the agency in a “heightened threat environment” and number of high-profile cases, including the investigation of the man who appointed him.
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, the probes into Trump’s and President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents as well as thousands more criminal investigations.
Wray was nominated by Trump after he fired his predecessor, James Comey.
Republican critics have accused Wray’s FBI of political interference, a lack of transparency and a lack of responsiveness to Congress.
Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Wray on Dec. 9, expressing a “vote of no confidence” in Wray and his deputy director.
“For the good of the country, it’s time for you and your deputy to move on to the next chapter of your life,” Grassley writes.
Trump has picked Kash Patel to replace Wray at the FBI.
Trump names loyalist Kash Patel to serve as FBI director
President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday that he plans on firing FBI director Christopher Wray and replacing him with longtime ally Kash Patel.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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