{"id":119139,"date":"2024-12-12T07:28:16","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T04:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/?p=119139"},"modified":"2024-12-12T07:36:28","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T04:36:28","slug":"today-fbi-director-christopher-wray-announced-that-he-will-step-down-at-the-end-of-the-current-administration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/?p=119139","title":{"rendered":"Today, #FBI Director Christopher Wray announced that he will step down at the end of the current administration."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr; text-align: left;\"><span style=\"text-align: left;\">New York Rashad Alkhader &#8211; Free Yemen Eye &#8211; From News &#8211; FBI<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Director Wray\u2019s Remarks for the FBI All-Employee Town Hall Address<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Remarks as prepared for delivery.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome. Thanks for joining us today\u2014whether you\u2019re with us in person here at Headquarters, or tuning in from across the country in SVTC land.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">I know we\u2019re getting close to the end of the year, and the holiday season is almost upon us, so as I previewed for the SACs and our leadership team here at Headquarters last week, we decided to go ahead and move this up to make it a little easier for folks. But I thought it was important to keep up our recent tradition of coming together for an FBI-wide town hall, especially this year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">There\u2019s no question 2025 is going to be a year of change\u2014and not just for the FBI, but for the country more broadly. And I want to spend most of our time today talking about the crucial role the Bureau will continue to play\u2014and must continue to play\u2014next year and well into the future.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Remarks from FBI Director Christopher Wray\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jKJNt2n2r3c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Some change is, of course, inevitable. But there are certain things that must never change, because they\u2019re so fundamental to what we do and who we are\u2014things like the importance of our mission, the quality and dedication of our people, our commitment to our core values, and the rule of law.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">But before we delve into that, I want to address a topic that\u2019s been the subject of a lot of speculation, and that\u2019s my future as FBI Director. Since the moment I started in this job seven-plus years ago, my focus has been on trying to do what I think is best for our institution\u2014for the Bureau, and ultimately, for the American people we serve, and what sets us up best for success\u2014not just today, but in the long run. So after weeks of careful thought, I\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">My goal is to keep the focus on our mission\u2014the indispensable work you\u2019re doing on behalf of the American people every day. And 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.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">It should go without saying, but I\u2019ll say it anyway: This is not easy for me. I love this place. I love our mission. And I love our people. But my focus is, and always has been, on us and doing what\u2019s right for the FBI. And it was important to me that you all got to hear about my decision directly from me, before it gets announced publicly.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Accomplishments<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">I\u2019m honored and humbled to serve alongside you. And doing it all these years has been the greatest privilege of my life.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">For me, it\u2019s always been about the people\u2014all of you, the partners we do the work with, and the American people, the ones we do the work for. From the beginning, when I was deciding whether it was the right choice for my family for me to take this job, it was my admiration and respect for the career professionals who make up the FBI that brought me back. And every day I\u2019ve been in this role, my deep admiration and respect for all of you has grown more and more.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">No one gets to see the Bureau and the work you\u2019re doing across this country and around the world like I do. And what I\u2019ve seen is nothing short of inspiring. And I\u2019m not the kind of guy who uses words like \u201cinspiring\u201d lightly.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">I\u2019ve seen up close the sacrifices you make each and every day to fulfill our mission and keep our fellow citizens safe. I\u2019ve seen you turn in absolutely heroic acts of bravery, over and over again, to help people you\u2019ve never met. And I\u2019ve seen you show up for each other with compassion and support when your FBI Family members need you most.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">You put everything you\u2019ve got into your work, and I could not be more proud of what you\u2019ve accomplished.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Threats<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Over the past seven-plus years, you\u2019ve worked alongside our partners in state and local law enforcement in record numbers to keep our communities safe, taking something like 50 violent criminals\u2014the worst of the worst\u2014off the street per day, every day.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">You\u2019ve innovated and found new ways to combat the cyber threat, kicking off adversaries pre-positioned to wreak havoc on our critical infrastructure and defending against ransomware attacks on targets like 9-1-1 call centers, children\u2019s hospitals, and water treatment plants.<br \/>\nYou\u2019ve worked tirelessly to stem the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl pouring into every corner of the country, seizing enough fentanyl in just two years to kill 270 million people\u2014that\u2019s more than 80 percent of all Americans.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">You\u2019ve remained steadfast in your dedication to protecting children from harm, arresting hundreds of predators and rescuing hundreds of kids each and every year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">And you\u2019ve kept watch against the ever-present threat of terrorism, thwarting attacks on a busy pier in San Francisco, a crowded hospital outside Kansas City during COVID, a Fourth of July parade in downtown Cleveland\u2014to name just a few\u2014and, just two months ago, disrupting a mass casualty plot in Oklahoma City set for Election Day.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">As the threats have grown, you\u2019ve grown, you\u2019ve adapted, and you\u2019ve evolved, because you\u2019ve had to, because that\u2019s what was required to keep Americans safe. And an awful lot of people are alive today because of your tireless efforts.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">All that great work shows not just how much you\u2019ve accomplished, but how much the threats have grown. And based on what we\u2019re seeing now, those threats are only going to continue to grow in the years ahead.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">On the terrorism front, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, a deteriorating security situation in parts of Africa, the war in the Middle East, and now a collapse in power in Syria\u2014those events oceans away will continue to have very real consequences here, on our Homeland security, well into the future.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">To coin a familiar phrase, \u201cObjects in the mirror are closer than they appear.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">With fentanyl, every time we turn around there\u2019s a new analogue or an even more deadly substance on the way with potentially devastating effects.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Or crimes against children, where the dark web provides more and more places for monsters to conceal their heinous abuse.<br \/>\nAnd with China, an adversary that\u2019s been pretty clear about its intentions to lie, cheat, and steal its way to economic and geopolitical domination in the coming years. In fact, we\u2019re on the cusp of what may turn out to be the PRC\u2019s broadest, most significant cyber espionage campaign in history with the telecommunications breach known as Salt Typhoon.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Add to all that the fact that advances in technology are expanding the attack surface and making it easier for the bad guys to cover their tracks. Think terrorists using drones, hackers moving money with cryptocurrency, and criminals of all stripes leveraging AI to up their game.<br \/>\nAs daunting as all that may sound, I\u2019ve got enormous confidence in you and your ability to continue to meet the threats coming over the horizon. The most sacred responsibility of government is\u2014and will remain\u2014protecting its citizens.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">You all are on the front lines of that effort every day, and I know you will continue to adapt and evolve and innovate to stay ahead.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Strength of Team<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Because when you look at where the threats are headed, it\u2019s clear that the importance of our work\u2014keeping Americans safe and upholding the Constitution\u2014will not change. And what absolutely cannot\u2014must not\u2014change is our commitment to doing the right thing, the right way, every time.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Our adherence to our core values, our dedication to independence and objectivity, and our defense of the rule of law\u2014those fundamental aspects of who we are must never change. And I don\u2019t just mean our commitment to the right thing, the right way as an organization.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">That\u2019s essential, yes. But we also have to be committed to the right thing, the right way as individuals, too. That\u2019s the integrity piece. Because if we all do that, and we all back each other up in doing that, there won\u2019t be room for anything else.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The FBI, as you all know better than anyone, is a hard ship to turn. The force of who we are together\u2014of who you are, together\u2014that\u2019s what makes us so strong.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">You\u2019re 38,000 men and women dedicated to protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution. That\u2019s pretty profound.<br \/>\nIt\u2019s a mission that\u2019s not easy to actually execute, and frankly, our work will never be done. But it\u2019s noble work, and you chose it. And the person next to you chose it, and the person next to them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Nobody joined the FBI because they didn\u2019t have any other options. Every one of us first chose, and then earned, the right to be here. And that choice we all made and earned means that all over the world, there are 38,000 men and women who get up every day and dedicate themselves to the FBI\u2019s mission. And that shared commitment binds us together.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">One of the great strengths of the FBI is that we\u2019re a team, separated by states and oceans and time zones, but still working together to support the FBI\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Put another way, what\u2019s one of the best things everybody in the FBI has going for them? It\u2019s everybody else in the FBI. And there\u2019s not any one person\u2014not you, not me, not the person to your right or to your left\u2014who all of this rises or falls on.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Now, don\u2019t misunderstand me. As I like to remind our agents, you\u2019re all special. But none of us\u2014let me say that again, none of us\u2014is the one person holding this place together.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">It\u2019s all of us, working together, that have made the FBI the premier law enforcement and intelligence agency in the world\u2014the people our partners are vying to send their officers and deputies to train with, the people businesses call when their networks have been compromised or their operations have been taken offline, the people the American people turn to when their child is in danger.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">That didn\u2019t happen overnight.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Our brand as the people who will get things done\u2014the professionals, who will do the right thing, the right way\u2014that took time.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">That\u2019s not to say we haven\u2019t made mistakes in 116 years, but we\u2019ve learned from them and always found a way through it. And I\u2019m confident we will for the next 116 years, too.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Commitment to Core Values<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Because if we stick together and stick to our core values\u2014as individuals committed to doing the right thing, the right way\u2014then as a team we\u2019ll be doing that at scale.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">And ultimately, we\u2019ll be just fine.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Our great strength is each other\u2014that we\u2019re all committed to the same mission, and to accomplishing it the same way\u2014the right way, every time. That\u2019s what the rule of law is all about.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Unfortunately, all too often in today\u2019s world, people\u2019s standard for whether something was fair or objective\u2014a Supreme Court decision, a verdict in a high-profile case, the investigation we brought, or the one we didn\u2019t bring\u2014is whether they liked the result, whether their side won or lost.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">But that\u2019s not how independence and objectivity work. We\u2019re not on any one side. We\u2019re on the American people\u2019s side\u2014the Constitution\u2019s side. And no matter what\u2019s happening out there, in here we\u2019ve got to stay committed to doing our work the right way every time\u2014with rigor and integrity.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">That means following the facts wherever they lead, no matter who likes it, or doesn\u2019t\u2014because there\u2019s always someone who doesn\u2019t like it. It means conducting investigations without fear or favor. And it means not pursuing investigations when the predication is not there.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Now let me be clear: We\u2019re accountable to the American people, and we welcome the tough questions. But in terms of how we do the work, we\u2019ve got to maintain our independence and objectivity\u2014staying above partisanship and politics.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">That\u2019s what the American people expect of us, and that\u2019s what they deserve.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Over more than 116 years, we\u2019ve stopped terrorists, spies, and hackers, and put countless criminals behind bars. And the FBI has often stood for the very best of America, not just because of our successes, but because of the way we\u2019ve accomplished them over the years.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">As I tell all our new graduates at Quantico, being part of this organization carries with it a solemn responsibility\u2014to do our jobs well, yes, but more importantly, to do our jobs with honesty and integrity.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">For decades, the men and women of the FBI have been laying that foundation, earning that trust and building that legacy for the Bureau. And we\u2019re going to keep doing that\u2014we must keep doing that\u2014abiding by the rule of law and adhering to our core values.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">There\u2019s no room for compromise on that.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Those are our guiding principles\u2014our anchors. And we\u2019ve got to adhere to them, no matter the test. That\u2019s a commitment that as the FBI, we\u2019ve got to keep making to the American people.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Strength into Future<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In October 2017, I gave the commencement address to my first class of new agents at Quantico\u2014class 17-03. Just last week, I spoke to the graduates of class 24-05. And I haven\u2019t missed a single ceremony in between.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">That means over the course of seven-plus years and 39 graduations, I\u2019ve had the privilege of giving more than 57-hundred special agents\u2014over 40 percent of the agents on the job today\u2014their badges and credentials.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">And in the last seven-plus years, I\u2019ve watched those agents\u2014with the indispensable men and women who make up our intel cadre and professional staff right alongside them\u2014go out and do exceptional things.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Every day, all over this country and all around the world, someone in the FBI\u2014oftentimes more than one person\u2014is out there doing something extraordinary. Sometimes those things make big news. Sometimes they\u2019re known only to a select few.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">But every day, I\u2019m inspired by the work you do. I\u2019m inspired by the breadth, depth, and impact of it\u2014by the way you do it, and by who you are.<br \/>\nIn the last seven-plus years, I\u2019ve visited every single one of our 55 field offices twice, and I\u2019m halfway through my third round.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">I\u2019ve met with all of our Headquarters divisions and been to about thirty of our legal attach\u00e9 offices, from Cairo to Warsaw to Mexico City to Tokyo.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">I\u2019ve talked with scores of senior agents who are just as excited about the FBI as they were the day they joined 20-plus years ago.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">I\u2019ve talked to new employees who feel like they\u2019ve been shot out of a cannon, ready to take on the world, and to do it on behalf of the American people.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">And I\u2019ve talked to hundreds and hundreds of folks in between\u2014people who still can\u2019t believe that they get to be here, doing this, working with the extraordinary people next to them. And they can\u2019t wait to keep doing it for another 10, 15, 20 years.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">That\u2019s the real strength of the FBI\u2014the importance of our mission, the quality of our people, and their dedication to service over self. It\u2019s an unshakeable foundation that\u2019s stood the test of time, and cannot be easily moved.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">And it\u2014you, the men and women of the FBI\u2014are why the Bureau will endure and remain successful long into the future.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">For me, what\u2019s made these last seven-plus years so rewarding is you\u2014getting to know, and work with, all of you. It\u2019s been the privilege of standing with you as you accomplish great things for the American people\u2014of experiencing you discover something new, and listening to you talk about the communities you serve.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">I\u2019m confident you\u2019re just as inspired by this organization\u2014by each other\u2014as I am, and just as honored to be a part of it. To be a part of the FBI\u2019s legacy of fidelity, bravery, integrity, and heart.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Conclusion<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">I\u2019ll go ahead and close the same way I do for our new graduates at Quantico, by telling you there\u2019s still a hell of an adventure ahead.<br \/>\nI\u2019m not usually quite that colorful with the graduates, but I think they get the message.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">As with any career, there will continue to be good days, and tough days\u2014days when you\u2019re really tested to your limits. So on those days, remember that\u2014as part of the FBI\u2014you don\u2019t have an ordinary job; you have a calling.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Remember that you chose, and earned, this job. You chose, and earned, the privilege of serving your country.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The FBI needs you. The American people need you.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">So thank you for making that choice. Thank you for earning that privilege.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">I\u2019m so grateful you\u2019re part of the FBI Family, and I want to thank you for making me a part of that family. And as we move into our next chapter, let\u2019s stay focused\u2014heads up, eyes forward, shoulder to shoulder.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Be safe out there, and take care of each other.<\/p>\n<p style=\"direction: ltr; text-align: left;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; New York Rashad Alkhader &#8211; Free Yemen Eye &#8211; From News &#8211; FBI Director Wray\u2019s Remarks for the FBI All-Employee Town Hall Address Remarks as prepared for delivery. Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome. Thanks for joining us today\u2014whether you\u2019re with us in person here at Headquarters, or tuning in from across the country in &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":119140,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-119139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=119139"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119139\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/119140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=119139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=119139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fye-yemen.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=119139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}