By Associated Press’s Eric Tucker
WASHINGTON (AP) — A week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced he would appoint loyalist Kash Patel to the position, FBI Director Christopher Wray announced Wednesday to the bureau’s employees that he intends to step down at the conclusion of President Joe Biden’s term in January.
After weeks of deliberation, Wray announced at a town hall gathering that he would be leaving office three years before the end of a ten-year mandate that was characterized by high-profile and politically heated investigations, including the two separate indictments of Trump last year.
Given that Trump had chosen Patel to be director and had frequently expressed his displeasure with Wray, including in a Sunday television appearance, Wray’s planned resignation is not shocking. Wray is attempting to avoid a conflict with the incoming Trump administration, which he claimed would have further involved the FBI in the conflict, by resigning rather than waiting to be dismissed.
Wray told agency staff, “I want to keep the focus on our mission and the vital work you do every day on behalf of the American people.” This, in my opinion, is the greatest approach to uphold the ideals and ideas that are so crucial to the way we carry out our work without drawing the bureau further into the conflict.
After Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey in 2017, he appointed Wray to a 10-year term that was intended to shield the agency from the political sway of shifting governments.
On several occasions, Trump has made it clear that he was upset with Wray. In a recent interview with Meet the Press on NBC, Trump stated, “I can’t say I’m thrilled with him.” He broke into my house, alluding to the FBI’s two-year-old search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in Florida for secret materials from his first term in office.
However, the reserved director hardly ever seemed to make the effort to publicly challenge the White House.
More in Nation-World News
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!