FBI Director Christopher Wray Announces He Will Step Down in January 2025
On December 11, 2024, Christopher Wray, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), addressed an all-employee town hall at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and announced that he will step down when the current administration ends in January 2025. FBI directors serve 10-year terms; Wray's term was not due to expire until 2027, so he is leaving nearly three years early.
"So 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. His goal, he said, is "to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you're doing on behalf of the American people every day," and, in his 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." He added: "This is not easy for me. I love this place, I love our mission, and I love our people — but my focus is, and always has been, on us and doing what's right for the FBI."
Wray was nominated by then-President Trump in 2017 and confirmed by the Senate; he had served as director for more than seven years. Reviewing the Bureau's work, he noted that the FBI has 38,000 employees across 55 field offices, and he stressed that whatever changes, the Bureau's commitment to its core values, its dedication to independence and objectivity, and its defense of the rule of law "absolutely cannot — must not — change."
President-elect Trump had announced on November 30, 2024, that he would nominate Kash Patel to succeed Wray as FBI director. Patel said the same day that he looked forward to a smooth transition and would be ready to serve on day one. Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a statement the same day praising Wray for leading the FBI with integrity and skill.
(Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation)
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国联邦调查局局长 Christopher Wray 官方肖像。美国联邦调查局发布，公共领域。 / Photo: Official portrait of FBI Director Christopher Wray. U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, public domain.
