Vance Reveals Trump Is Interviewing Candidates for FBI Director Ahead of Wray’s Term
In a heated exchange on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Vice President-elect JD Vance inadvertently disclosed that President-elect Donald Trump is already interviewing candidates to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray before his current term ends in 2027.
The revelation came during a back-and-forth with Grace Chong, CFO of Steve Bannon’s War Room, who criticized Vance for missing a vote on the confirmation of controversial judicial nominee Embry J. Kidd. Chong’s post, which has since been deleted, urged Vance and fellow Republican Senator Marco Rubio to fulfill their duties, prompting Vance’s sharp reply.
Vance, responding to the criticism, called Chong a “mouth breathing imbecile” before revealing his discussions with Trump. “When this 11th Circuit vote happened, I was meeting with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director,”
Vance said. He further emphasized that securing a new FBI Director who could dismantle what Trump and his allies term the “deep state” was more important than a narrow loss in the vote.
The comment was later deleted, but it had already sparked widespread interest. The FBI is currently led by Christopher Wray, whose ten-year term was set by Trump in 2017. However, Wray has become a target for Trump due to several investigations, including the high-profile Mar-a-Lago raid in 2022.
Trump has voiced frustration with Wray over his handling of the investigation into the alleged assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, questioning whether Wray had truly understood the significance of the event. Additionally, Trump has criticized Wray’s assessment of President Biden’s cognitive state, accusing him of lying to Congress about his observations.
Among the names floated as potential replacements for Wray are former Pentagon official Kash Patel and ex-Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers. Patel, who has criticized the FBI and the Justice Department, has suggested a complete overhaul of the agency’s leadership, while Rogers, a former chair of the House Intelligence Committee, is also considered a contender after his recent Senate defeat.
The FBI and the Trump transition team have not responded to inquiries regarding the potential leadership changes at the agency.
