President Donald Trump announced his nomination for FBI Director on Twitter early Wednesday morning.
In the tweet, President Trump said he will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, who worked in the Justice Department during President George W. Bush's administration.
I will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, a man of impeccable credentials, to be the new Director of the FBI. Details to follow.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2017
Wray is currently a litigation partner at the DC-based law firm King & Spalding, where he chairs the firm's Special Matters and Government Investigations Practice Group. Wray represented New Jersey Governor Chris Christie during the investigation into the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case, according to the Associated Press. Last week, Christie told the Bergen Record that Trump "would not be making a mistake" were he to tap Wray to lead the FBI.
The sudden announcement comes with recent news about tensions between Trump and his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, who in recent weeks told Trump he would be willing to resign, a senior administration official confirmed to CNN on Tuesday.
The announcement also comes shortly after President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in early May after his attorney general and deputy attorney general recommended his removal.
In a signed letter, President Trump informed Comey that he was "hereby terminated and removed from office, effective immediately," explaining that he reached the conclusion that Comey is "not able to effectively lead the bureau."
Firing Comey prompted allegations that Trump was trying to impede the FBI's investigation into ties between his campaign associates and Russia.
Additionally, in the letter, Trump raised the Russia investigation and asserted that: "...I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation." The White House has not provided details of when those three conversations allegedly took place.
On Thursday, Comey will give his much-anticipated congressional testimony to dispute President Donald Trump's blanket claim that he was told he was not under investigation multiple times, according to sources familiar with Comey's thinking.
