Former President Donald Trump, now president-elect, is considering replacing FBI Director Christopher Wray ahead of schedule, as several of his right-wing allies lobby for the controversial appointment of Kash Patel. The move is one of the clearest signs yet that Trump is determined to honour his commitment to restructuring federal law enforcement by filling top positions with loyalists, including those who may be willing to cater to his demands for investigations and shield him from potential future legal scrutiny.
The interest in Patel follows Trump’s previous selections of Representative Matt Gaetz as Attorney General and Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence. If Patel were to be nominated, it would emphasise Trump’s plan to reshape key government institutions by appointing those known for their unwavering loyalty and strong alignment with his political goals. Patel, a vocal supporter of Trump, has been lobbying for a high-ranking position in the upcoming administration, including a possible role as CIA Director before it was ultimately handed to John Ratcliffe.
Trump’s motivations for a shakeup within the FBI stem largely from his bitter experience during his first term, which was overshadowed by a special counsel investigation, followed by multiple criminal indictments after he left office. According to multiple sources familiar with the transition, discussions regarding premier appointments have been ongoing at Mar-a-Lago, with names like former Republican Representative Mike Rogers, former acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan, and Jeff Jensen, a former U.S. attorney known for his involvement in Michael Flynn’s case, all being floated for the FBI’s top job.
Nonetheless, Kash Patel remains the most polarizing choice. His rapid rise within Trump’s orbit began in 2018 when he served as an aide to Representative Devin Nunes, then the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee. Patel later joined Trump’s National Security Council in 2019 and subsequently became chief of staff to the acting Defense Secretary in the final months of Trump’s presidency. Patel has since built a reputation as a steadfast Trump loyalist and relentless critic of the so-called deep state, accusing law enforcement and intelligence agencies, without any evidence, of pursuing a politically motivated campaign against Trump.
“The one thing we learned in the Trump administration the first go around is we got to put in all American patriots top to bottom,” Patel said in an interview last year on Steve Bannon’s podcast. “We got them for law enforcement, we got them for intel collection, we got them for offensive operations, we got them for DOD, CIA, everywhere.” His comments align with Trump’s broader vision of filling key federal institutions with loyalists who share his political views and scepticism of traditional government mechanisms.
Christopher Wray, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 after the firing of James Comey, has become a target of Trump’s dissatisfaction in recent years. Trump’s discontent with Wray intensified following the FBI’s search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in August 2022, which ultimately led to Trump’s indictment on charges related to the retention of classified documents. Wray’s 10-year term as FBI Director, intended to shield the role from political interference, is slated to continue until 2027, but Trump’s allies have not shied away from urging an earlier removal.
Karoline Leavitt, the Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman, stated, “President-Elect Trump is making decisions on who will serve in his second Administration. Those decisions will be announced when they are made.” A spokesperson for Patel, as well as representatives for Jeff Jensen, Mike Rogers, and Mark Morgan, all declined to comment on their prospective roles.
Some insiders are deeply concerned about the prospect of Patel taking the helm at the FBI, fearing that he would use his authority to settle political scores, declassify sensitive information to benefit Trump’s interests, and carry out a broad purge of career civil servants perceived to be part of the “deep state.” One source familiar with the internal deliberations remarked, “Kash is frightening at the bureau,” underscoring fears of his intentions and capabilities if appointed.
During his first term, Trump clashed frequently with law enforcement and intelligence agencies, often portraying them as hostile actors conspiring against him. Patel’s statements echo Trump’s distrust of these institutions and indicate a shared desire to bring about significant changes. Patel has consistently pushed narratives accusing the intelligence community of engaging in unlawful actions against Trump, framing the institutions as fundamentally corrupt.
Amid the speculation and ongoing lobbying efforts, Christopher Wray appears determined to maintain an air of continuity at the FBI. According to an official familiar with the matter, Wray and his staff have planned events and meetings that extend well beyond the inauguration in January 2025, signalling that Wray has no intention of stepping down unless explicitly directed to do so. When asked about the controversies surrounding the FBI and the political pressures it has faced, Wray has consistently emphasised that the bureau’s focus remains on law enforcement and national security, free from partisan influence.
This is not the first time that Trump has contemplated installing Patel in a key federal role. Following the 2020 presidential election, Trump reportedly considered replacing then-CIA Director Gina Haspel with Patel in a bid to push for further disclosures on the Russia investigation, though those plans ultimately did not come to fruition. In another instance, Trump even contemplated appointing Patel as deputy director of the FBI during the waning weeks of his first administration but was persuaded against it by then-Attorney General William Barr, as the deputy role is not meant to be a political appointment.
The prospect of Patel leading the FBI has stirred both excitement and unease among Trump’s allies and detractors alike. While his supporters view him as a steadfast patriot who would align the FBI’s priorities with Trump’s agenda, critics worry about the long-term implications of politicizing one of the nation’s most critical law enforcement institutions. The FBI’s director position was deliberately structured to prevent political influence, offering a 10-year term to ensure consistency and impartiality regardless of changes in presidential administrations. However, the desire among Trump’s camp to cut Wray’s term short and install a loyalist threatens to undermine this tradition of independence.
As the transition progresses and key appointments are announced, Trump’s decisions regarding who will lead federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies will have profound implications not only for his administration’s policies but also for the broader relationship between the executive branch and the permanent government institutions that are supposed to operate above the fray of partisan politics. For now, Christopher Wray continues his work, even as political intrigue swirls around his future, and Kash Patel remains at the forefront of one of Trump’s most contentious personnel decisions yet.