Chris Wray: Calling FBI the ‘Deep State’ Is an Insult to Our Workforce

FBI Director Christopher Wray on Monday pushed back critics who say the FBI is part of the “Deep State,” saying the characterization is “affront” to bureau employees.

Wray’s remark was part of an interview with ABC News on the Justice Department’s inspector general report.

A partial transcript is as follows: 

PIERRE THOMAS: As far as you know, based on the findings in the inspector general report, is the FBI — was it part of some Deep State?

CHRISTOPHER WRAY: I think that’s the kind of label is a disservice to the 37,000 men and women who work at the FBI, who I think tackle their jobs professionalism, rigor, objectivity, courage. That’s not a term I would ever use to describe our workforce and I think it’s an affront to them. Having said that, there are a number of things in this report, in my view, fall well short of the standard and performance that we, and I, expect of all our employees and we’re going to be taking a number of corrective steps to address that.