FBI Director Christopher Wray says he intends to resign at end of Biden’s term in January
WASHINGTON — FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said Wednesday he plans to resign at the end of President Biden’s term in January, an announcement that came a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the job.
At a town hall meeting with the bureau workforce, Wray said he would be stepping down “after weeks of careful thought,” three years short of the completion of a 10-year term marked by high-profile and politically charged investigations, including those leading to two indictments of Trump last year.
Wray’s intended resignation is not unexpected considering that Trump had settled on Patel to be director and had repeatedly aired his anger at Wray, whom Trump appointed, including in a television interview broadcast Sunday.
But his departure is nonetheless a reflection of how Trump’s norm-breaking style has reshaped Washington, with the president-elect yet again flouting tradition by moving to replace an FBI director before his term was up, and Wray — by resigning before he could be fired — opting to avert a collision with the incoming Trump administration that he said would have plunged the FBI into political fighting.
“My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day,” Wray told agency employees. “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.”
The pardon of Hunter Biden immediately fed into an already roiling debate nationally around justice and politics and whether the two can adequately be held separate.
The resignation would clear the way for Patel’s ascension, assuming he is confirmed by the Senate. A White House staffer during Trump’s first term, Patel has said that the federal government should be rid of “conspirators” against Trump. His comments have stirred alarm that he could seek to use the FBI for retribution against perceived enemies despite long-standing guardrails meant to ensure investigations have a proper basis.
It’s extremely rare for FBI directors to be ousted from their jobs before the completion of their 10-year terms, a length meant to insulate the agency from the political influence of changing administrations. But Trump has done it twice, placing Wray in the job in 2017 after firing Director James B. Comey amid an investigation into ties between Russia and the Republican president’s 2016 campaign.
Despite having appointed Wray, Trump had telegraphed his anger with the FBI director on multiple occasions.
In the recent interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump said, “I can’t say I’m thrilled with him. He invaded my home,” a reference to the FBI search of his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort two years ago for classified documents from Trump’s first term as president. That search, and the recovery of boxes of sensitive government records, paved the way for one of two federal indictments against Trump.
The documents case, and another one charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 election, have both been dismissed with Trump poised to return to the White House. Justice Department policy says presidents cannot be charged with crimes while in office.
Trump applauded the resignation news on social media, calling it “a great day for America as it will end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice,” and complaining anew about the Mar-a-Lago search.
Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland, meanwhile, praised Wray for having “served our country honorably and with integrity for decades.” He said: “Under Director Wray’s principled leadership, the FBI has worked to fulfill the Justice Department’s mission to keep our country safe, protect civil rights, and uphold the rule of law.”
Natalie Bara, the president of the FBI Agents Assn., said in a statement that Wray had led the FBI “through challenging times with a steady focus on doing the work that keeps our country safe.”
Throughout his seven years on the job, Wray brought a workmanlike approach to the job, repeatedly preaching a “keep calm and tackle hard” mantra to bureau personnel despite a steady drumbeat of attacks from Trump and his supporters.
Wray was quick to distance himself and his leadership team from the FBI’s Russia investigation.
On the same day of a harshly critical inspector general’s report on that inquiry, Wray announced more than 40 corrective actions to be taken regarding the FBI’s process for applying for warrants for secret national security surveillance. He said mistakes made during the Russia inquiry were unacceptable and he helped tighten controls for investigations into candidates for federal office.
FBI officials actively trumpeted those changes to make clear that Wray’s leadership had ushered in a different era at the bureau.
Even then, though, Wray’s criticism of the investigation was occasionally measured — he did not agree, for instance, with Trump’s characterization of it as a “witch hunt” — and there were other instances, particularly in response to specific questions, when he memorably broke with the White House.
Last December, he said that there was “no indication” that Ukraine had interfered in the 2016 election, countering a frequent talking point at the time from Trump. When the Trump White House approved the declassification of materials related to the surveillance of a former Trump campaign aide, Wray made known his displeasure.
Wray angered Trump for pointing out that antifa is a left-wing movement and an ideology but not an organization. Trump had said he would like to designate the “group” as a terrorist organization. Wray described in detail Russian efforts to interfere in the 2020 election that Trump lost to Biden. Wray also said the FBI had not seen evidence of widespread voter fraud, a claim that Trump continues to repeat despite lack of evidence.
Before being named FBI director, Wray worked at the law firm King & Spalding, where among others he represented former Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) during the “Bridgegate” affair. He also led the Justice Department’s criminal division for a period during President George W. Bush’s administration.
Tucker writes for the Associated Press.
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