FBI Director Christopher Wray announced Wednesday he will step down before President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month, ending a tenure marked by increasing tension with Trump and Republican lawmakers.
Wray, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 to a 10-year term, made the announcement during an internal FBI meeting, saying the decision would help prevent “dragging the bureau deeper into the fray.” His departure comes as Trump has already nominated former aide Kash Patel as his successor.
“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 told staff members, who responded with a standing ovation. Some attendees were moved to tears, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Trump, who had previously indicated he would dismiss Wray, welcomed the resignation on Truth Social, characterizing it as “a great day for America” that would “end the Weaponization” of the Justice Department. The relationship between Trump and Wray deteriorated following the FBI’s involvement in investigating Trump’s handling of classified documents, a case that has since been dismissed.
Patel, Trump’s choice to lead the bureau, has been an outspoken critic of the FBI, advocating in his memoir “Government Gangsters” for the removal of top leadership and significant limitations on the agency’s authority. His nomination requires Senate confirmation, and in the interim, Deputy Director Paul Abbate will oversee the bureau’s operations.
Attorney General Merrick Garland praised Wray’s “honorable” service spanning multiple administrations, while Democratic Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin expressed concern about “a perilous new era” for the FBI. The FBI Agents Association credited Wray with steering the bureau through “challenging times.”
FBI directors traditionally serve 10-year terms designed to transcend political transitions. Wray’s early departure, ahead of his scheduled 2027 term completion, enables Trump to install new leadership at the agency should Patel receive Senate approval.
