In the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, a significant portion of candidates are calling for substantial changes at the FBI, with almost all pledging to replace current FBI Director Christopher Wray if elected.
Only one notable Republican candidate, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, has stated outright that he would not dismiss Wray from his position.
Candidates Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former President Donald Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Hale, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott have all stated they would remove Wray as part of their strategies to revamp the FBI.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez have also noted the possibility of Wray’s dismissal, while former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has expressed openness to reform.
Ramaswamy has taken the most drastic stance, with his spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stating he plans to “dismantle the entire agency.” Trump, DeSantis, Haley, Pence, and Scott have all committed to firing Wray and other officials they deem “corrupt” within the bureau.
In a recent policy call, DeSantis elaborated on his plan, stating he would “clean out the upper echelons of both the DOJ and the FBI” and suggested relocating the bureau’s headquarters from Washington, D.C.
He underscored the need for an attorney general with a strong backbone, ready to fight against media and left-leaning forces to uphold justice.
Haley’s representative, Ken Farnaso, said the former South Carolina governor would dismiss Wray as part of a larger overhaul targeting both senior and middle management at the FBI and DOJ, aiming to end the perceived double standard of justice in the country.
A Pence adviser shared that the former vice president believes the FBI has lost the public’s trust due to various abuses, including the alleged targeting of parents trying to influence their children’s education and Christians in Richmond, Virginia. Pence has previously mentioned his intention to appoint an FBI director who is respected across political lines.
Scott, at an Iowa town hall, expressed his belief in the integrity of the average FBI rank and file worker but argued that the leadership should be dismissed. He criticized a culture he believes undermines the integrity and competence of the American people, calling for it to be uprooted.
Suarez, Burgum, and Hutchinson have all indicated their willingness to introduce reforms to restore the bureau’s credibility. Suarez emphasized the need for new leadership to effectively remove politics from the FBI at all levels, while Hutchinson affirmed he wouldn’t go so far as to defund the agency.
Burgum’s spokesperson Lance Trover didn’t promise a change in leadership of the bureau outright but stated the candidate would “do what it takes” to rebuild trust in the FBI.
Trover stressed Burgum’s belief in the crucial role of citizens’ faith in institutions for a free and just society, vowing not to let these institutions become political enforcement tools for the ruling party.
