FBI Director Christopher Wray is stepping down from his post at the end of President Biden’s term. The Trump appointee announced his plans to resign Wednesday at an FBI town hall in Washington, D.C.

“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,” Wray explained. “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.”

Wray was hired by President Donald Trump during his first presidential term in 2017 after Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey. Wray is seven years into a 10-year post.

Since Trump’s re-election, Trump announced he would be nominating Kash Patel to succeed Wray.

Following Wray’s announcement, Trump praised his decision to resign. In on Truth Social Trump wrote “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. 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. Kash Patel is the most qualified Nominee to lead the FBI in the Agency’s history, and is committed to helping ensure that Law, Order, and Justice will be brought back to our Country again, and soon.”

Under Wray’s leadership, the FBI colluded with Big Tech companies to suppress the Hunter Biden laptop story prior to the 2020 presidential election, prosecuted peaceful pro-life activists, likened concerned parents to domestic terrorists, and set up a kidnapping plot of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D), among other targeted persecution of conservatives.

Two days before Wray’s resignation, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley (R) sent a letter to the FBI Director calling him to step down for “the good of the country.” Following Wray’s resignation, Grassley commented, “Stonewalling Congress, breaking promises, applying double standards and turning your back on whistleblowers is no longer going to cut it.”