FBI Director Christopher Wray steps down early - CBS
FBI Director Christopher Wray (photo: flickr.com/fbi)
Christopher Wray has resigned from his position as the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the US. He cited his unwillingness to involve the agency in political battles with the administration of Donald Trump as the reason for his resignation, reports CBS News.
In an interview with the channel, Wray mentioned that his decision to resign was a difficult one, as the newly elected President Trump plans to change the agency's operations and has expressed his intention to dismiss him.
"Well, my decision to retire from the FBI, I have to tell you, was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. But you know the president-elect had made clear that he intended to make a change, and the law is that that is something he is able to do for any reason or no reason at all," said the agency head.
According to Wray, the best thing for the Bureau was to try to do this in an orderly way, to not thrust the FBI deeper into the fray.
In the interview, he also stated that he does not intend to influence Trump's decisions on appointments to his administration.
"From where I sit, facts and the law drive investigations, not politics or partisan preferences," he said about the work of the FBI.
Wray, in particular, oversaw the largest case in the FBI's history - the Capitol attack in 2021. However, Trump promised to pardon many of the 1,500 people who had been charged.
After Wray leaves his position, his deputy, Paul Abbate, will serve as the acting director of the FBI.
According to the law, an acting director can hold the position for no more than 210 days, after which the Senate must approve a permanent director.
Political conflicts
Donald Trump nominated Christopher Wray for the position of FBI Director in 2017. Wray was expected to serve in this role until the end of his term in 2027.
However, Wray became one of Trump's adversaries when the FBI obtained a search warrant for the president's Mar-a-Lago estate in the case concerning the non-return of classified documents.
After Wray announced his resignation, Trump celebrated the decision, calling it a great day for America.
Democrats were disappointed by Wray's decision, claiming that it allowed Trump to accelerate the transformation of the agency and shift responsibility for firing the current director.
In early December, Trump appointed his loyalist, Kash Patel, as FBI Director, which served as a signal to Wray that he would soon be dismissed.
