The director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Christopher Wray, will resign from his position before the second term of United States President-elect Donald Trump, according to the agency.

In a statement to staff released by the agency on Wednesday, Wray cited a desire to keep the agency out of a prolonged dispute with the incoming president, who takes office on January 20.

Wray has been a top target of Trump in recent years, with the former president citing the FBI’s involvement in several investigations into his conduct. That included an August 2022 execution of a search warrant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in which agents gathered evidence for an eventual federal indictment related to hoarding classified White House documents.

The resignation will pave the way for Kash Patel, Trump’s controversial pick to take over the agency, although his appointment will still require Senate confirmation. Trump had already all but confirmed his plans to fire Wray, whose 10-year appointment in the role was not set to end until 2027.

“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,” Wray said in his statement.

“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.”

Trump nominated Patel, who had previously served as a national security aide and has remained an entrenched ally of the former president, earlier this month.

Trump called him a “brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People”.

But the appointment sparked concerns, including from within Trump’s own Republican Party, about Patel’s fitness for the role.

The firebrand has regularly issued blatant threats to prosecute political opponents and investigators who have probed Trump and has pledged to purge the FBI of the so-called “deep state” – a conspiracy phrase referring to the belief that secret networks of power are embedded within the government.

He has also promised to shut down the agency’s Washington, DC headquarters.

Legal observers have warned the agency could lose its independence under Patel, instead becoming an arm of the Trump White House.

Trump lauds resignation

In a statement on his Truth Social account following Wray’s announcement, Trump called the resignation a “great day for America”.

Trump again criticised Wray for the Mar-a-Lago search, writing that FBI agents “illegally raided my home”. He further accused the director of taking part in the “weaponisation” of the US justice system, although legal scholars have regularly said there were legal grounds for the federal cases against Trump.

“We will now restore the rule of law for all Americans,” Trump wrote. Employing his signature hyperbole, he then praised Patel as “the most qualified nominee to lead the FBI in the agency’s history”.

A federal judge has since dismissed the federal classified documents case against Trump. A second federal case related to Trump’s role in seeking to overturn the 2020 election results has also been dismissed per the prosecutor’s request. The Department of Justice has a longstanding policy of not prosecuting sitting presidents.

Sentencing in Trump’s New York state conviction related to hush-money payments is also likely to be paused, and his lawyers have sought to have another state case in Georgia related to the 2020 elections dismissed.

Trump himself had appointed Wray in 2017 to replace then-FBI Director James Comey, who had been leading an investigation into possible collusion between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. At the time, Trump cited that investigation as part of his decision.

It remains unclear if Republicans, who will hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, will reach the simple majority they will need to confirm Patel next year.

Trump has picked several controversial figures to lead key agencies in his administration, including Fox News host Pete Hegseth – who has been accused of being associated with white nationalist movements and of abusing women – and Tulsi Gabbard – who has come under renewed scrutiny for her support of the toppled government of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad – as director of national intelligence, among others.

In recent years, opposing parties have used the filibuster to prolong confirmation hearings for polarising nominees.

In November, firebrand former Congressman Matt Gaetz dropped out of contention after being nominated for attorney general by Trump.

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Al Jazeera and news agencies