Biden to retain Christopher Wray as FBI Director

Christopher Wray was nominated by ex-president Trump in June 2017 to succeed James Comey who was abruptly fired amid the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) probe into the former President's campaign's link with Russia.

Washington: US President Joe Biden has planned to keep Christopher Wray, appointed by his predecessor in 2017 as the FBI Director, in the same position, allowing him to continue serving out his 10-year term.

While she was queried at her first White House briefing on Wednesday about Wray's position, Biden's Press Secretary Jen Psaki did not give a direct response, adding that she had not spoken with the President about it "in recent days", The Hill news website reported.

But in a tweet on Thursday, she said: "I caused an unintentional ripple yesterday so wanted to state very clearly President Biden intends to keep FBI Director Wray on in his role and he has confidence in the job he is doing."

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The FBI director is appointed to a 10-year term, but does not necessarily serve the full term and can be fired by the President or choose to resign.

It was not immediately known if Wray and Biden have spoken since the latter was inaugurated on Wednesday as the new President.

The Hill news report quoted an FBI official as saying that all interactions between the Bureau and Biden's team have been "very positive".

Biden's decision on Wray was welcomed by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, who commended the FBI Director for serving with "great professionalism and integrity".

IANS

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