Politics

Senate votes to confirm Christopher Wray as FBI director

Key Points
  • President Donald Trump nominated Christopher Wray for the FBI director slot in June.
  • Wray replaces James Comey, whom Trump fired earlier this year.
  • Wray told the Senate during his confirmation hearing that he would strive for independence.
FBI director nominee Christopher Wray prespares to testify during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee July 12, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
Getty Images

The Senate on Tuesday voted to confirm Christopher Wray, President Donald Trump's choice to run the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The vote was 92 to 5.

In June, Trump nominated Wray to succeed James Comey as FBI director.

During his confirmation hearing, Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he would strive for independence.

"If I am given the honor of leading this agency, I will never allow the FBI's work to be driven by anything other than the facts, the law and the impartial pursuit of justice. Period. Full stop," Wray said in July.

His comments came after Comey alleged that Trump had asked him for loyalty.

Trump terminated Comey in May amid a federal probe into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Moscow. Trump later said he ousted Comey while thinking about the "Russia thing."

Wray, 50, is a white-collar lawyer who served as assistant attorney general during the George W. Bush administration. He previously led the federal investigation of Enron and represented Gov. Chris Christie in the Bridgegate scandal.

— CNBC's Ted Kemp and Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report.

WATCH: Wray testifies no one could convince him to drop proper investigation

FBI Director Nominee Wray: No one can convince me to drop a proper investigation
VIDEO1:2601:26
FBI Director Nominee Wray: No one can convince me to drop a proper investigation