Donald Trump nominates former assistant AG Christopher Wray as new FBI Director

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Washington: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday selected former assistant attorney general Christopher Wray as the new FBI Director, a day before a crucial testimony by the intelligence agency chief he abruptly fired.

"I am proud to announce Christopher as my choice as the Director of the FBI. During his previous service at the Department of Justice, Christopher was the leader of major fraud investigations, and was a key part of the team overseeing the Justice Department's actions in the war on terrorism following the 9/11 attacks," Trump said in a statement.

"He is an impeccably qualified individual, and I know that he will again serve his country as a fierce guardian of the law and model of integrity once the Senate confirms him to lead the FBI," he said.

The announcement comes ahead of former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey's testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the circumstances that he was fired by Trump amid the ongoing probe into alleged Russian meddling into the US election last November.

Wray would replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, who took over when Comey was fired in May.

"It is a great honour to be selected by the President to return to the Department of Justice as Director of the FBI," Wray said.

"I look forward to serving the American people with integrity as the leader of what I know firsthand to be an extraordinary group of men and women who have dedicated their careers to protecting this country," he added.

FBI directors are generally appointed to 10-year terms so they can avoid political interference.

Wray's appointment would still have to be confirmed by the Senate.

Wray, 50, is a litigation attorney with law firm King & Spalding in Washington and Atlanta.

He previously served as the Assistant Attorney General in charge of Criminal Division of the Justice Department from 2003 to 2005.

During his time at Justice Department, Wray became known for overseeing the Enron prosecution task force and playing a major role in the department's post-9/11 response.

"Mr Wray is a safe, mainstream pick from a president who at one point was considering politicians for a job that has historically been kept outside of politics," the New York Times said.

"Wray, a former assistant attorney general overseeing the criminal division under President George W Bush, is likely to allay the fears of FBI agents who worried that Mr Trump would try to weaken or politicise the FBI," the paper commented.

The timing could also be aimed at blunting the impact of Comey's testimony before the Senate intelligence committee on Thursday. Comey is expected to refute Trump's claim that he told the President directly he was not under investigation and is also set to describe interactions with Trump that made him uneasy, CNN reported.

"Wray as FBI head would be stepping into a maelstrom, with the ongoing Russia investigations swirling overhead, as the bureau also attempts to continue anti-terror operations and finding the sources of persistent government leaks," Fox News noted.