FBI Director Christopher Wray announced plans to step down from his post at the end of the Biden administration.
Fox News learned just moments before the announcement that Wray would make the announcement during an FBI town hall in Washington, D.C., during which thousands of FBI employees are expected to join virtually across the country.
President-elect Trump and FBI Director Christopher Wray (Getty Images)
“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,” Wray said during the town hall. “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.”
The FBI director said the decision was not easy for him, adding he loves the FBI, its mission and people.
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FBI Director Christopher Wray arrives to testify during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the FBI’s proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year June 4, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Wray also said his focus is, and always has been, on the FBI doing what is right.
“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,” Wray said.
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“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. 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 is seven years into his 10-year term.
FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill Dec. 5, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Following Wray’s announcement, the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) released a statement thanking the director for supporting special agents, his leadership and service to the country.
“Director Wray has led the Bureau through challenging times with a steady focus on doing the work that keeps our country safe,” Natalie Bara, the president of the FBIAA said. “FBI Special Agents will always be focused on our vital mission—protecting this great nation, safeguarding communities and upholding the U.S. Constitution. This commitment is at the core of who we are as Special Agents, and it does not waver when there are changes in a presidential administration or when the leadership in the Bureau changes.”
“Our country faces a barrage of national security and criminal threats, making a stable transition of leadership in the Bureau essential to the safety of the American public,” Bara continued. “FBI Special Agents are at the core of the Bureau’s primary mission to protect our country from today’s most pressing threats, and it is important that the next director uphold the central role of the rank-and-file Special Agents in fulfilling this mission.”
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Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), speaks during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Wray is testifying before the committee amid calls by some hardline conservatives for his ouster. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
In closing, she said the association welcomes the opportunity to meet with Trump’s team to discuss the perspectives and priorities of rank-and-file FBI Special Agents.
Wray, a Republican lawyer in D.C., was hired by President Trump in 2017 after Trump fired former Director James Comey.
Since being re-elected to a second term in the Oval Office, Trump has nominated Kash Patel to succeed Wray, giving the current director the option to leave on his own or be fired.
While Wray’s last day is still undecided, it is expected to be in January before Trump’s inauguration.
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The moment Wray leaves, Deputy Director Paul Abbate will become acting director until a new director — Patel if confirmed — is in place. Abbate is a career official who is eligible to retire from the bureau soon. He planned months ago to retire in the new year.