[President-elect Donald Trump said he intends to nominate Kash Patel to serve as FBI director, marking an unprecedented move to replace the current director, Christopher Wray, before his 10-year term expires. Patel, a vocal critic of the FBI and the “deep state,” has promised to dismantle the agency and carry out a “comprehensive housecleaning” of the Justice Department.
Trump’s announcement has sparked a range of reactions from Republicans. Sen. Chuck Grassley, the incoming Senate Judiciary chair, called Wray’s tenure a “failure” and warned that Patel must prove to Congress that he will do better.
On the other hand, House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the pick, citing Patel’s extensive experience in national security and intelligence. Rep. Mike Lawler expressed confidence that Patel will prioritize reform and transparency. Sen. Mike Rounds stressed the importance of open hearings and giving the president-elect the benefit of the doubt.
Sen. Ted Cruz, meanwhile, predicted that Wray will either resign or be removed, and stated that Patel is a strong candidate to “clean out” Washington. The reactions continue to come in, and we will update this article with further responses as they are reported.
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