Kash Patel speaks during a campaign rally for Donald Trump, Prescott Valley, Arizona, October 13, 2024 (Rebecca Noble/Getty)
FBI Director Christopher Wray, facing dismissal when Donald Trump returns to the White House in January, has announced his resignation.
Trump’s nominee to take over, loyalist and political operative Kash Patel, is likely to be confirmed by the Senate.
I joined BBC Radio Scotland to put the developments in the context of Trump’s attempt to break the FBI, having it serve his personal interests rather than those of law enforcement.
Listen to Discussion from 1:28.07
This is Donald Trump v. the US system. The FBI is meant to be an independent agency. It is not meant to be a tool of the President.
Trump doesn’t want enforcement of the law. He wants agencies that will bend to his will. The FBI will be commanded to avoid certain investigations if they are inconvenient to Trump, and to pursue investigations that Trump wants, especially against his perceived enemies.
Confirmation of Donal Trump’s popular vote victory with the end of the counting process: https://edition.cnn.com/election/2024/results/president?admin1=02&election-data-id=2024-PG&selected-election-data-id=2024-PG-AK&election-painting-mode=projection-with-lead&filter-key-races=false&filter-flipped=false&filter-remaining=false
Donald Trump: 77,302,440 votes (49.8%) of popular vote
Kamala Harris: 75,017,313 votes ( 48.3%) of popular vote
He gained 3 million more votes than in 2020.
Swarm of surveillance drones extends beyond New Jersey: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/drone-sightings-spread-new-jersey-officials-express-outrage-federal-re-rcna184107