Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray announced his resignation, effective at the end of President Joe Biden’s administration in January. The move allows President-elect Donald Trump to appoint a new FBI director without firing Wray. Trump has nominated Kash Patel, a former prosecutor and loyalist critical of the FBI, to succeed him. Wray was appointed by Trump in 2017 after the dismissal of James Comey. He has faced Trump’s criticism for the FBI’s investigations into Trump’s post-election actions and classified document retention, which led to now-dropped federal charges. Wray stated his decision to resign was to avoid further politicizing the FBI and maintain the agency's mission integrity.