FBI Director Christopher Wray said Thursday that the FBI is a fine organization in a direct response to President Donald Trump’s criticism of the agency.
Trump sharply criticized the nation’s top law enforcement agency in the wake of a plea deal by former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn for lying to FBI agents.
“After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters – worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness,” Trump tweeted Sunday.
House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jerry Nadler asked Wray to respond to this tweet during an oversight hearing.
“Congressman, there is no shortage of opinions out there. What I can tell is the FBI that I see is tens of thousands of agents and analysts and staff working their tails off to keep Americans safe,” Wray replied.
He continued on to say that the FBI makes “mistakes” just “like everybody who is human makes mistakes.” Wray said that these mistakes get addressed after investigations by the Justice Department’s inspector general.
Wray’s remarks in the House hearing were his first public response to Trump’s tweet. However, The New York Times reported that Wray sent an email to his entire work force Monday that said, “It is truly an honor to represent you.”