The White House is reportedly worried FBI Director Christopher Wray might resign over the Nunes memo
Top White House staffers are concerned that FBI Director Christopher Wray could be considering an early departure from his post, CNN reported Thursday. While he has not "directly" mentioned resigning, Wray — who was tapped by President Trump to lead the bureau just seven months ago — is reportedly so "frustrated" by the White House's potential release of a controversial Republican memo that top administration staffers are worried he may quit over the issue.
The memo, authored by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), reportedly alleges the FBI abused surveillance laws to improperly surveil members of Trump's 2016 campaign team. Republicans have pushed for the memo to be released, disregarding warnings from the Justice Department that its publication would be "extraordinarily reckless." On Wednesday, Wray's FBI issued a statement preemptively discrediting the memo, saying the bureau had "grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy."
"Wray has made clear he is frustrated that [Trump] picked him to lead the FBI ... yet his advice on the Nunes memo is being disregarded and cast as part of the purported partisan leadership of the FBI," CNN reported, citing a "senior law enforcement official." Among the administration officials concerned about Wray's thinking is White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, CNN claimed.
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Wray does have the backing of the agents he leads, even as he clashes with the White House. The FBI Agents Association released a statement Thursday thanking him for "standing shoulder to shoulder with the men and women of the FBI."
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Kimberly Alters is the news editor at TheWeek.com. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
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