Who is Christopher Wray, the criminal lawyer picked by Trump as the next FBI chief?
Tapped on Wednesday by Donald Trump as the new head of the FBI, Christopher Wray is a high-flying criminal lawyer who represented Trump ally Chris Christie in a New Jersey political scandal and once worked under fired FBI director James Comey.
If confirmed by the Senate to a 10-year term as the bureau’s director, Wray will succeed Comey who was abruptly sacked by the US president one month ago.
His first challenge will be to reassure the more than 30,000 employees of the FBI of his commitment to their independence - and second to convince the wider public that the century-old institution will stand up, if need be, to the White House.
In announcing his choice on Twitter early Wednesday, Trump touted the former federal prosecutor as “a man of impeccable credentials.”
“It is a great honour to be selected by the president to return to the Department of Justice as Director of the FBI,” Wray said in a White House statement announcing the pick.
“I look forward to serving the American people with integrity as the leader of what I know firsthand to be an extraordinary group of men and women who have dedicated their careers to protecting this country.”
