Democracy Dies in Darkness

Lawmakers express doubt over Trump’s plan to replace FBI’s Christopher Wray

FBI directors typically have 10-year tenures, unique among appointments in the executive branch. Wray was appointed by Trump in 2017.

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On the Dec. 1 Sunday shows, lawmakers signaled a contested confirmation battle for President-elect Donald Trump’s FBI pick Kash Patel. (Video: The Washington Post)
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President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he wants to replace FBI Director Christopher A. Wray with Kash Patel, a staunch loyalist who has vowed to fire the agency’s leadership and dramatically reshape its mission, was met with bipartisan concern that his appointment could undermine the agency’s independence.

Republicans and Democrats alike argued that replacing Wray — who has held the job since 2017 — with Patel showcases Trump’s efforts to appoint close allies who espouse his views and have expressed support for his plans to take aim at the country’s justice system.