Acting FBI Director Paul Abbate abruptly announced his retirement just minutes before Trump was sworn into office on Monday.
FBI Director Christopher Wray recently resigned so his deputy, Paul Abbate, had been expected to replace Wray as Kash Patel awaits his confirmation.
However, Paul Abbate retired after 28 years of service on Monday.
It is unclear who will replace Abbate in the interim.
CBS News reported:
FBI’s longtime deputy director, who had been expected to temporarily replace director Christopher Wray on an acting basis during the transition into the new Trump administration, says he is retiring. Paul Abbate made the unexpected announcement in an email to senior officials Monday ahead of President Trump’s inauguration, CBS News confirmed.
“When the Director asked me to stay on past my mandatory date for a brief time, I did so to help ensure continuity and the best transition for the FBI. Now, with new leadership inbound, after nearly four years in the deputy role, I am departing the FBI today,” Abbate wrote in the letter, according to the Associated Press, which obtained a copy of the email.
Abbate had been running the FBI for only one day after Wray stepped down as director on Sunday. Wray was named by Trump during his first term and had been director for more than seven years. He announced his retirement when Trump said he wanted Kash Patel to be the director.
Abbate’s email did not say who would replace him atop the bureau during the interim. Following the inauguration, the White House posted a list of acting leaders that said Brian Driscoll will serve as head of the FBI until the position is filled.
Recall that Paul Abbate told subordinates at the agency to hide the identities of dozens of January 6 government informants. He said it would be too embarrassing for the agency if the information was leaked out. So they hid this from the American public.
Good riddance.
