How rift with Donald Trump pushed FBI Director Christopher Wray to announce resignation

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray has announced his plans to resign before United States President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month. This comes days after the Republican leader nominated Kash Patel to lead the law-enforcement agency, hinting he would fire Wray.

The FBI director announced his decision at an internal FBI meeting at the bureau’s headquarters on Wednesday (December 11).

“After weeks of careful thought, I’ve decided the right thing for the bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then step down,” he said.

“My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day. 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.”

Wray, who was nominated by Trump as FBI director in 2017 for a 10-year term, gradually fell out of favour with the Republican.

Let’s take a closer look.

Trump nominates Christopher Wray

Trump appointed Christopher Wray in 2017 after sacking his predecessor James Comey. The then FBI director came under fire over the bureau’s investigations into the 2016 Trump campaign’s alleged links to Russia.

When he appointed Wray, Trump described him as a “model of integrity” and a man of “impeccable credentials”.

As per CBS News, Wray, as FBI director, has focused on internal matters like national security issues and agent recruitment. He also flagged concerns about foreign efforts to target American infrastructure.

Christopher Wray-Trump’s ties sour

Wray’s relationship with Trump has strained over the years. Four months after his nomination, the FBI director defended the agency, which was derided by Trump, for probing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

As per USA TODAY, questioning the bureau’s impartiality, Trump tweeted its reputation was “in Tatters – worst in history!”

Later, Wray told the House Judiciary Committee, “The FBI I see are tens of thousands of men and woman who are hard charging people of integrity.”

In 2020, Trump rebuffed reports of a classified briefing by US intelligence officials revealing that Russia was meddling in the 2020 presidential elections to get the Republican leader re-elected.

Testifying before the House Homeland Security Committee, Wray said at the time, “we are not going to tolerate foreign interference in our elections”.

Wray further got on Trump’s nerves after the FBI searched the Republican’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida in August 2022 to recover classified documents that Trump took with him while leaving the White House.

Trump criticised the search at his residence as a “weaponisation of the Justice Department” and alleged that the FBI was part of a Deep State “hoax” against him.

This investigation led to special counsel Jack Smith filing criminal charges against Trump in the handling of classified records after he left the White House.

In May, the Republican claimed “Biden’s DOJ [Department of Justice] was authorised to use DEADLY FORCE” in the Mar-a-Lago raid, saying the FBI agents were “locked and loaded” and “ready to take me out.”

The claims of bias were rejected by Wray.

Another case filed by the DOJ against Trump accused him of trying to steal the 2020 election which he lost to Joe Biden. It was based on a probe by FBI agents.

Trump denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty in the two cases.

Both cases were dropped after Trump’s re-election this November due to the DOJ’s policy not to prosecute a sitting president.

ALSO READ: What are Kash Patel’s plans to reshape the FBI?

Christopher Wray to resign

Wray announced his intention to step down as the FBI director days after Trump nominated his loyalist Patel, a former Justice Department prosecutor, to replace him.

Trump called Wray’s resignation “a great day for America” on Truth Social, saying “it will end the weaponisation of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice”.

The president-elect further added, “I just don’t know what happened to him” and went on to accuse the FBI of having “used their vast powers to threaten and destroy many innocent Americans.”

Hailing Patel, Trump said he is “the most qualified nominee to lead the FBI in the Agency’s History” and said he “is committed to helping ensure that Law, Order, and Justice will be brought back to our Country again, and soon“.

Patel has called for “dramatically” limiting the FBI’s authority and vowed to go after senior FBI and Justice Department officials who investigated Trump.

On Wednesday, Patel said he was “looking forward to a smooth transition and I’ll be ready to go on day one”.

“Senators have been wonderful and I look forward to earning their trust and confidence through the advice and consent process, and restoring law and order and integrity to the FBI,” he added.

Patel needs to get the US Senate’s approval before he can be appointed.

With inputs from agencies