According to sources who were present at the internal town hall on Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray announced his resignation to employees.
He stated that he will be resigning at the conclusion of the current Biden administration, as Fox News reported.
"After weeks of careful thought, I've decided the right thing for the Bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then step down.
"My goal is to keep the focus on our mission -- the indispensable work you're doing on behalf of the American people every day. In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the Bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work," he said in his remarks.
Kash Patel has been selected by President-elect Donald Trump to succeed Wray at the FBI, subject to Senate confirmation.
Trump issued a statement shortly thereafter, in which he denounced Wray and lauded Patel, who was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to bolster the support of Republican senators.
"The resignation of Christopher Wray is a great day for America as it will end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice," Trump wrote on his social media platform.
"I just don't know what happened to him. We will now restore the Rule of Law for all Americans."
The departing head of one of the nation's premier law enforcement agencies went on to talk about his personal feelings on the bureau: "It should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway -- this is not easy for me. I love this place, I love our mission, and I love our people -- but my focus is, and always has been, on us and doing what's right for the FBI," he said.
"When you look at where the threats are headed, it's clear that the importance of our work -- keeping Americans safe and upholding the Constitution -- will not change. And what absolutely cannot, must not change is our commitment to doing the right thing, the right way, every time. Our adherence to our core values, our dedication to independence and objectivity, and our defense of the rule of law -- those fundamental aspects of who we are must never change," he said.
Wray also spoke about what he believes is the importance and the power behind the FBI: "That's the real strength of the FBI -- the importance of our mission, the quality of our people, and their dedication to service over self.
"It's an unshakeable foundation that's stood the test of time, and cannot be easily moved. And it -- you, the men and women of the FBI -- are why the bureau will endure and remain successful long into the future," Wray continued.
Trump attacked the probes that special counsel Jack Smith had launched against him on behalf 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," Trump wrote.
"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."
