FBI Director Wray to Resign, Trump Team Fills out DOJ, DHS Posts
As President-elect Trump continues to build out his leadership teams for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray announced that he will resign before President-elect Trump takes office.
The president-elect already announced that he intends to nominate Kash Patel as FBI Director, meaning Director Wray would likely have been fired anyway, about seven years into his ten-year term.
Director Wray made the announcement at town hall with the FBI workforce.
“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,” said Director Wray as reported by the Washington Post.
President Trump nominated Wray as FBI Director in 2017 to replace the fired James Comey. However, the president butted heads with the FBI leader over the DOJ investigation into alleged Russia collusion and other matters including the carrying out search warrants for classified materials on Mar-a-Lago after Mr. Trump was out of office.
Congressional Republicans are not sad to see Director Wray go.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), set to take the gavel leading the Senate Judiciary Committee next year, released a statement saying Wray’s departure is “an opportunity for a new era of transparency and accountability at the FBI.”
DOJ Nominations
Meanwhile, President-elect Trump continues to fill out other leadership positions at DOJ.
He has nominated San Francisco attorney and conservative activist Harmeet Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.
And he earlier tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as U.S. Attorney General after his first choice, former Congressman Matt Gaetz dropped out of consideration.
The president’s pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Chad Chronister, also removed himself from consideration, after conservatives questioned some of his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic while leading the Hillsborough County, Florida sheriff’s department.
DHS Nominations
Over at DHS, we’re getting a clearer picture of President-elect Trump’s incoming immigration policy.
Former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott is his choice to lead Customs and Border Protection.
“He’s well known. He does know these issues and obviously is trusted by the administration,” said Gil Kerlikowske, the CBP commissioner under the Obama administration to the Associated Press.
Caleb Vitello was named the Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE has been without a Senate confirmed director.
“I know Caleb Vitello very well. He’s a consummate professional, cares about the mission,” said Jason Houser, a former chief of staff at ICE under the Biden administration. “He’s probably one of the smartest guys on enforcement and removal operations.”
And Brandon Judd, former President of the National Border Patrol Council with 30 years of service at Border Patrol, has been nominated as U.S. Ambassador to Chile. Judd retired from the head of the border union in May.