Trump to nominate former Assistant AG as FBI head

Washington: President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday he plans to nominate Christopher A. Wray, a former US Assistant Attorney General under President George W. Bush, to be the next FBI director.

Wray, currently a litigation partner at DC-based law firm King & Spalding, would replace acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, who took over when James Comey was fired by Trump in May, Fox News reported.

"I will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, a man of impeccable credentials, to be the new Director of the FBI. Details to follow," Trump tweeted.

The announcement comes ahead of a Senate hearing where McCabe, among others, was set to testify. Fired Federal Bureau of Investigation boss James Comey also was set to testify before a Senate committee on Thursday.

Wray will need Senate confirmation to take over as the FBI chief. Wray headed the Justice Department's criminal division from 2003 to 2005 under Bush.