In Farewell Address, Wray Urges FBI to Stay ‘Above Partisanship and

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The outgoing director called on the FBI to follow ‘the facts wherever they lead’ regardless of the opinions of others.

Outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray said in his farewell address on Friday that the bureau must maintain its independence and avoid partisanship in carrying out its duties to protect the people.

“No matter what’s happening out there—in here, we’ve got to stay committed to doing our work the right way every time. With professionalism, with rigor, with integrity,” he said.

Wray announced his resignation in December after Trump nominated Kash Patel, a former federal prosecutor, to take on the role.

Wray delivered his farewell speech in anticipation of leaving the role at the end of the Biden administration. He has held the position as FBI director since 2017, but will cut short the usual 10-year term an FBI director enjoys.

In his speech, he called on the FBI to follow “the facts wherever they lead” regardless of the opinions of others, saying the bureau carries “an enormous responsibility” to uphold the U.S. Constitution.

“It means conducting investigations without fear or favor. And it means not pursuing investigations when the predication is not there. That’s what the rule of law is all about,” Wray stated.

“We’ve got to maintain our independence and objectivity, staying above partisanship and politics. Because that’s what the American people expect, and I think that’s what they deserve,” he added.

Wray also thanked FBI officials for their hard work and “unyielding commitment to the rule of law,” while praising the results they made through partnerships with state, tribal, and federal law enforcement.

“Those partnerships have made a huge difference—a real, tangible difference—in people’s lives. Together, in recent years, we’ve arrested nearly 50 violent criminals every day,” he said.

“Thank you for keeping up that work in all the years to come. Serving as your director has been the honor of my lifetime.”

Speaking at the farewell ceremony, Attorney General Merrick Garland shared that attending threats briefings with Wray was his favorite part of the day, which he said were focused solely on determining ways to disrupt threats and allocating the necessary resources.

“No turf fighting, no politics, no agenda other than to protect the American people,” he said. “If the American people could witness those meetings, they would be so proud of what they saw.”

Accusations of Partisanship

Trump appointed Wray in 2017 during his first term after firing the previous director, James Comey. President Joe Biden retained Wray when he assumed office in 2021.

Trump has expressed displeasure over Wray’s performance. In a Truth Social post last month, Trump said Wray’s resignation will end what he described as the weaponization of the Justice Department.

“Under the leadership of Christopher Wray, the FBI illegally raided my home, without cause, worked diligently on illegally impeaching and indicting me, and has done everything else to interfere with the success and future of America,” he stated.

“They have used their vast powers to threaten and destroy many innocent Americans, some of which will never be able to recover from what has been done to them,” the president-elect added.

The FBI in 2022 executed a search warrant on Trump’s home in Florida, in one of two federal cases brought against the former president. Trump has maintained that he did nothing wrong. Prosecutors closed the cases after Trump won the November 2024 election.

The FBI also investigated Biden’s handling of classified information and the president’s son, Hunter, on tax and gun violations. Biden was not charged but his son was convicted. Biden issued a blanket pardon to his son in December.

Trump and many other Republicans have repeatedly criticized the FBI, alleging that its actions have been fueled by partisanship.

Wray told a House panel in 2023 that he has been a Republican his whole life. “The idea that I am biased against conservatives seems somewhat insane to me, given my own personal background,” he said at the time.

Zachary Stieber, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.