‘Great day for America’: Trump welcomes Chris Wray’s resignation as FBI director

FBI Director Christopher Wray told staffers at an internal town hall Wednesday that he was resigning, according to sources familiar with the meeting.

He has said he will resign at the end of the current Biden administration.

“After weeks of careful consideration, I have decided that the right thing for the Office is for me to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then resign. My goal is to remain focused on our mission – the essential work you do every day on behalf of the American people, is in my view the best way to avoid dragging the Bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values ​​and principles that are so important in how we accomplish our work,” he said in his remarks.

“It should go without saying, but I say it anyway: It’s not easy for me. I love this place, I love our mission, and I love our people, but my goal is, and always has been : on us and do what’s right for the FBI,” he said.

“When we look at where the threats are going, it’s clear that the importance of our work – keeping Americans safe and upholding the Constitution – will not change. And what absolutely cannot, should not, change is 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. these fundamental aspects of who we are must never change”, he declared.

“This is the true strength of the FBI: the importance of our mission, the quality of our people, and their dedication to service rather than to themselves. It is an unshakable foundation that has stood the test of time and cannot be easily moved. And she – “You, the men and women of the FBI, are the reason the bureau will endure and be successful for a long time,” Wray continued.

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Kash Patel to replace Wray at the FBI, pending Senate confirmation.

Trump responded to the news shortly after in a statement criticizing Wray and praising Patel, who was on Capitol Hill Wednesday to shore up support from Republican senators.

“The resignation of Christopher Wray is a great day for America because it will end the militarization of what is now known as the United States Department of Justice,” Trump wrote on his media platform social. “I just don’t know what happened to him. We will now restore the rule of law for all Americans.”

Trump specifically took aim at investigations against him by Justice Department special prosecutor Jack Smith.

“Under the leadership of Christopher Wray, the FBI illegally raided my home without cause, worked diligently to illegally impeach and indict me, and did everything in its power to interfere with America’s success and future.” , Trump wrote. “They used their vast powers to threaten and destroy many innocent Americans, some of whom will never recover from what was done to them.”

Patel told ABC News senior White House correspondent Mary Bruce just after Wray’s announcement that he would be ready on “Day 1.”

“We’re hoping for a very smooth transition and I’ll be ready to go from day one,” he said.

Patel declined to answer any additional questions about the retaliation, his message to Trump or whether he spoke to the president-elect.

Wray, who was nominated by then-President Trump to a 10-year term and confirmed in August 2017, oversaw the agency in a “heightened threat environment” and a number of high-profile cases, including the investigation into the man who named it.

Congress changed the tenure of the FBI director from 10 years 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 spying cases, probes into Trump’s handling of classified documents and President Joe Biden, as well as thousands of other criminal investigations. .

Wray was appointed by Trump after Trump fired his predecessor, James Comey.

Republican critics have accused Wray’s FBI of political interference, lack of transparency and unresponsiveness to Congress.

Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, the new 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 is time for you and your deputy to move on to the next chapter of your lives,” Grassley wrote.

Grassley quickly responded to the news of Wray’s resignation.

“Wray’s departure is an opportunity for a new era of transparency and accountability within the FBI. Future FBI directors should learn a lesson from Wray’s mistakes. Obstructing Congress, breaking promises, applying double standards , two measures and turning your back on whistleblowers will no longer cut it,” the senator said.