WASHINGTON — When Donald Trump appointed Christopher Wray as FBI director in 2017, he praised him as an “impeccably qualified individual” and a “model of integrity.”

However, the landscape has dramatically shifted over the past seven years.

As Trump appears ready to reacquire the presidency, Wray’s position as director is increasingly uncertain. Although the FBI directorship is typically a 10-year appointment, Trump’s harsh and ongoing criticisms of Wray during his presidency heighten the possibility that Wray could either be replaced upon Trump’s return or choose to leave voluntarily to sidestep potential dismissal. This change would give Trump an opportunity to reshape the FBI’s leadership, especially amid his threats to target political rivals.

“Wray enjoys his role and is dedicated to the bureau, serving as an excellent public servant, but I doubt he will actively lobby to keep the position,” noted Gregory Brower, a former FBI official and director of congressional affairs until 2018.

“If the incoming president decides to replace him, that’s the outcome we can expect,” he continued. “Considering Trump’s past remarks, I think a change is likely.”

While Trump’s transition team hasn’t provided commentary on the matter, an FBI insider confirmed that Wray continues to manage the bureau daily, including recent visits to the FBI’s election command post. Wray and his team are also preparing to lead the bureau into the following year. The official, who interacts closely with Wray but wasn’t permitted to disclose specifics publicly, spoke on condition of anonymity.

Currently, Trump has not made any recent public statements about Wray, though he has shown a notable interest in the FBI and Justice Department, partly due to the investigations that have overshadowed his initial term and ongoing post-presidency activities. These inquiries include two that have culminated in indictments now expected to conclude. The appointments within these agencies are under intense scrutiny because the individuals selected may face Trump’s proclaimed desire for vengeance against his adversaries, even though established boundaries could complicate those intentions, especially as the FBI confronts a multitude of unprecedented global threats.

A recent opinion from the Supreme Court granting extensive immunity to former presidents may also galvanize Trump’s attempts to pursue specific investigations through the Justice Department, a strategy he attempted during his first term.

Wray was nominated in September 2017 to succeed James Comey, who Trump dismissed amid an investigation into possible connections between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign. Wray, well regarded as a Republican lawyer with past service in the George W. Bush administration, was recommended to Trump by Chris Christie after providing legal representation during an investigation related to a controversial closure of the George Washington Bridge.

“At the time of Wray’s appointment, the president sought an FBI director who had bipartisan support and a solid reputation for integrity, someone who would maintain a low public profile and defer to the Attorney General,” explained Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general during Wray’s selection.

It didn’t take long for Wray to incur Trump’s discontent.

In 2018, Wray diverged from Trump regarding the declassification of information related to FBI surveillance of former campaign associate Carter Page. He later drew Trump’s ire during congressional hearings by emphasizing the threat of Russian election interference, despite Trump’s focus on issues related to China. Wray also categorized antifa as an ideology rather than a distinct organization, contradicting Trump’s intent to label it as a terror group.

By the time of Trump’s 2020 election loss, Wray’s position was already tenuous, with Trump withholding public support and Donald Trump Jr. publicly accusing Wray of working to “protect corrupt Democrats.”

Wray’s standing further deteriorated in 2022 when FBI agents executed a search warrant at his Florida residence for classified documents, which led to various charges. This past summer, Trump criticized the FBI for not immediately confirming that he had been shot at during an assassination attempt, and even took to social media to demand Wray’s resignation after the director defended President Joe Biden’s cognitive health during a congressional hearing.

Throughout these challenges, Wray has advocated a “keep calm and tackle hard” approach, steering the FBI through a politically charged environment that has not only involved Trump’s criticisms but also robust attacks from congressional Republicans regarding issues like the investigation into Hunter Biden and governmental surveillance.

Wray has attempted to minimize conflicts where possible, aiming to demonstrate responsiveness to congressional inquiries and addressing previous missteps. Early in his tenure, for example, he introduced numerous corrective measures following mistakes uncovered in the Trump-Russia investigation and openly acknowledged the FBI’s flaws during that process.

“In my view, I look beyond the one or two investigations that dominate social media and cable news to understand the broader impact we have on safeguarding the American populace,” Wray stated in an interview last year.

The normally composed director has also sought to defend his staff against what he perceives as baseless accusations, labeling as “ludicrous” the suggestion that the bureau had a role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, and describing claims of his anti-conservative bias as “insane.”

Replacing Wray before his 10-year term ends would mark a significant break from tradition, as prior presidents have generally maintained the FBI director’s role independent of political whims. For instance, Obama not only kept Robert Mueller but requested that he extend his tenure by two years, despite Mueller being a Bush-era appointee. Trump initially retained Comey but ultimately dismissed him in May 2017, citing thoughts about “this Russia thing”—referring to the ongoing investigation.

The potential successors to Wray remain uncertain, but some individuals interviewed post-Comey’s dismissal, including Adam Lee, the former lead agent in Richmond, and Bill Evanina, the previous head of U.S. counterintelligence, could be contenders once again.

Frank Montoya, a former high-ranking FBI official, voiced concern that Trump may seek an appointment willing to “kiss the ring” and comply with his desires. “This is about seizing control of the apparatus right from the start,” he emphasized.