Biden plans to keep Christopher Wray as FBI director

Washington — President Joe Biden plans to retain Christopher Wray as FBI director, a source familiar with the matter tells CBS News, in a show of confidence in Wray's ability to helm the bureau under a new administration.

Wray has led the FBI since 2017, when then-President Donald Trump named him to succeed James Comey, whose firing by Mr. Trump led to the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

At a on Wednesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki was noncommittal about whether Mr. Biden has confidence in Wray, saying she hadn't spoken to the president about the bureau's leadership. But a source confirmed Mr. Biden's intention to keep Wray in his role on Thursday morning.

FBI directors are appointed to 10-year terms but can be removed by the president. Wray has six years left in his current term.

Wray found himself in Mr. Trump's crosshairs several times during the previous administration, most recently for telling lawmakers before the election that the FBI had no evidence of mass voter fraud, as Mr. Trump had repeatedly and falsely claimed. Mr. Trump said Wray had been "disappointing" as FBI director in an interview soon after.

The FBI is leading the law enforcement investigation into the January 6 attack on the Capitol, and has arrested dozens of alleged rioters across the country in the weeks since the assault. In a briefing on inauguration security last week, Wray said the spate of arrests "should serve as a very stern warning to anybody else who might be inclined to try to engage in that activity."

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