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President-elect Donald Trump
spoke to NBC News’ Kristen Welker for over an hour Sunday, detailing what he intends to do on his first days in office. When asked whether he actually intends to fire FBI Director Christopher Wray — whose term does not expire until 2027 — Trump answered in the affirmative and provided a damning justification.

“I can’t say I’m thrilled with him,” Trump told Welker. “He invaded my home. I’m suing the country over it. He invaded Mar-a-Lago. I’m very unhappy with the things he’s done.”

The FBI
raided Trump’s Palm Beach residence in August 2022 — something the bureau did not similarly do when investigating Biden over his admitted transport and possession of classified documents. Following the raid — which Wray later suggested was not a raid at all — Biden Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith, perhaps illegally, as a special prosecutor to investigate Trump’s retention of government documents at his home in Florida. While Smith brought 37 felony counts against Trump, the case was ultimately dismissed.

In August 2024, Trump attorney Daniel Epstein
filed a notice of intent to sue the DOJ for $100 million. Epstein noted in the administrative tort claim that Garland and Wray’s decisions pertaining to the raid “were inconsistent with protocols requiring the consent of an investigative target, disclosure to that individual’s attorneys, and the use of the local U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

‘In the history of our country, nothing like this has ever happened.’

“Garland and Wray’s decisions regarding the Mar-a-Lago raid were not grounded in ‘social, economic, and political policy’ but in clear dereliction of constitutional principles, inconsistent standards as applied to the prospective plaintiff, and a clear intent to engage in political persecution,” continued Epstein. “Attorney General Garland, FBI Director Wray, and Special Counsel Smith’s targeting, indictment, and harassment of President Trump has always been a malicious political prosecution aimed at affecting an electoral outcome to prevent President Trump from being re-elected.”

Extra to taking issue with the raid, which may end up costing the the U.S. government a significant sum, Trump suggested to Welker Sunday that high crime rates and Wray’s comments about the Butler shooting further spiked his confidence in the current FBI director.

“When I was shot in the ear, [Wray] said, ‘Oh, maybe it was
shrapnel.’ Where’s the shrapnel coming from? Is it coming from heaven? I don’t think so,” said Trump. “We need somebody to straighten — you know, I have a lot of respect for the FBI, but the FBI’s respect has gone way down over the last number of years.”

Despite having spoken at length earlier in the interview about Trump’s
pick of Kash Patel for his next FBI director, Welker asked about the technical necessity of canning Wray.

“It would sort of seem pretty obvious that if Kash gets in, he’s going to be taking somebody’s place,” Trump responded. “Right? That somebody is the man that you’re talking about.”

Welker repeatedly attempted to goad Trump into stating that he would direct Patel to go after his political opponents, but Trump underscored that when it comes to his proposed FBI director as well as with his proposed attorney general, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, he will take a hands-off approach.

“He’s going to do what he thinks is right,” said Trump. “If they think that somebody was dishonest or crooked or [a] corrupt politician, I think he probably has an obligation to do it.”

While emphasizing it would be up to Bondi and Patel to take action, Trump nevertheless reiterated his displeasure with the current DOJ and FBI.

“What they’ve done to me with weaponization is a disgrace,” said Trump. “In the history of our country, nothing like this has ever happened. And I’ve won these cases. I’ve won every one, and the rest are in the process of being won. Deranged Jack Smith is on his way back to the Hague where he can execute people. This is where he should have stayed. … I think he’s dangerous even being there.”

Following Trump’s Nov. 30 announcement that he would nominate Patel, Wray’s potential replacement shared the following statement: “It is the honor of a lifetime to be nominated by President Trump to serve as Director of the FBI. Together, we will restore integrity, accountability, and equal justice to our justice system and return the FBI to its rightful mission: protecting the American people.”

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