FBI Director Christopher Wray announced his intention to resign ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, confirming speculation that he would not remain in his role under the incoming administration.
Fox News correspondent David Spunt reported the development, stating that Wray informed FBI staff during an all-staff town hall meeting on Wednesday. “Christopher Wray, the FBI director, is making this announcement right now in an all-staff town hall with thousands of FBI employees across the country,” Spunt said.
Wray, appointed by Trump in 2017 after the firing of James Comey, was not expected to complete his ten-year term following Trump’s nomination of Kash Patel as the next FBI director. Patel, a close Trump ally, has been vocal in criticizing the agency’s handling of past investigations involving the former president.
Spunt provided context on Wray’s tenure and Trump’s growing frustrations with the FBI. “Wray is a former Republican lawyer, a former DOJ prosecutor here in Washington, D.C., hired by Trump in 2017 after Trump fired James Comey following the entire Russia investigation probe,” Spunt noted. “Wray pretty much stayed out of the headlines as much as he could, at least.”
However, Wray’s relationship with Trump began to deteriorate significantly after the FBI executed a search warrant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in 2022 as part of the classified documents investigation. “Of course, that was ordered by Attorney General Merrick Garland, who oversees the Justice Department, not Christopher Wray,” Spunt clarified.
The Mar-a-Lago search fueled Trump’s public ire toward the FBI, with the former president frequently accusing the agency of being politically weaponized. Since then, Wray’s leadership has been under increasing scrutiny from Trump allies, leading to expectations that his resignation was imminent once Trump regained power.
Wray’s decision to step down comes amid heightened political tensions over the role of federal law enforcement agencies and their perceived impartiality. His resignation marks yet another significant leadership shift as Trump prepares to reshape the Justice Department and intelligence community under his administration.
The announcement signals a turning point for the FBI as the agency braces for new leadership and the political pressures likely to accompany it under Trump’s presidency. Wray’s departure leaves a lasting mark on an already contentious relationship between the FBI and the Trump administration.