Paul Abbate, the acting FBI director, announced his unexpected retirement on Monday, just minutes before President Donald Trump was sworn into office. Abbate had been deputy director under Christopher Wray, who recently stepped down after more than seven years as FBI director. Abbate’s sudden departure comes after just one day at the helm of the agency, leaving questions about interim leadership.
Attorneys General from 20 states are calling on the U.S. Senate to quickly confirm three nominees proposed by President-elect Donald Trump for key national security positions. The nominees include Governor Kristi Noem (R-SD) for Secretary of Homeland Security, Pam Bondi for Attorney General, and Kash Patel for FBI Director. The officials emphasize the urgency of assembling a strong national security team given current challenges.