Vice President-elect J.D. Vance confirmed that he and President-elect Donald Trump are talking to FBI director candidates, which suggests Mr. Trump plans to fire current FBI Director Christopher A. Wray.
In a post on his X account Tuesday, which has since been deleted, Mr. Vance said he missed a Senate vote Monday to confirm a judicial nominee appointed by President Biden because “I was meeting with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI director.”
He posted, “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45. But that’s just me.”
People being considered for the position include former Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers, whom FBI institutionalists are backing for the post, and former Trump National Security Council senior adviser Kash Patel, favored by grassroots conservatives.
Mr. Trump, who appointed Mr. Wray in August 2017 to serve for 10 years, can fire the FBI director.
James Comey was director from 2013 until May 2017, when President Trump fired him.
Mr. Comey learned about his termination while flying to California on the bureau’s airplane.
“It’s a countdown for Wray because [people here] don’t think he will stay to get fired after what Trump did to Comey,” an FBI employee told The Washington Times. “Trump will say, ’Yeah, fire his a—. Don’t let him take the plane home.’”
Mr. Wray has been criticized by Mr. Trump and others Republicans for the way he handled the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, pushing FBI investigations and arrests of those who participated.
Also, Mr. Wray has been scrutinized by congressional Republicans for the FBI’s memo to probe the Catholic Church, the 2022 raid on Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and the pursuit of pro-life activists who protested at abortion clinics.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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