WASHINGTON (AP) -- Donald Trump's drive to upend the FBI was welcomed by Republican senators although it was not clear on Sunday how strongly members of the incoming majority party would embrace his move to install ally Kash Patel as the next director of the Justice Department's top investigative arm.
Patel, a onetime national security prosecutor who is aligned with the president-elect's rhetoric about a "deep state," "must prove to Congress he will reform & restore public trust in FBI," said Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, in line to be the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman when Republicans take control in January, in a post on X.
Patel lacks the high-level legal and management experience that FBI directors, including Robert Mueller, James Comey and Christopher Wray, who now holds that job, had before their nominations. It's a 10-year term, and Trump named Wray in 2017 after firing Comey. So Trump's announcement late Saturday means Wray must either resign or be fired after Trump takes office on Jan. 20, 2025.
"Every president wants people that are loyal to themselves," said Sen. Mike Round, R-S.D., on ABC's "This Week." But he called Wray "a very good man" picked by Trump himself, and "I don't have any complaints about the way that he's done his job right now."
A president has "the right to make nominations," Rounds said, before noting the job is normally for 10 years, a length meant to insulate the FBI from the political influence of changing administrations.
"We'll see what his process is, and whether he actually makes that nomination. And then, if he does just as with anybody who is nominated for one of these positions once they've been nominated by the president then the president gets you know the benefit of doubt on nomination but we still go through process" providing advice consent under Constitution Rounds said.
He added: "That can be sometimes advice sometimes it is consent."
Other Republicans who appeared on Sunday news shows at end Thanksgiving holiday before returning work this week were Patel's corner.
Sen. Bill Hagerty R-Tenn said Patel represents type change need see FBI entire agency needs cleaned out told NBC Meet Press there serious problems at American public knows expect sweeping change Kash Patels just person do it
He said Patel has relevant experience head FBI he's one can see through fix here
During Trump's first term Patel aide then-Republican chairman House Intelligence Committee before taking roles White House National Security Council later Defense Department
"Patel played pivotal role uncovering Russia Hoax standing advocate truth accountability Constitution" Trump wrote Saturday night social media post
The selection is keeping with Trump's view government's law enforcement intelligence agencies require radical transformation stated desire retribution against supposed adversaries also shows how Trump still fuming over years federal investigations shadowed first administration later led indictment moving place atop close allies believes protect rather scrutinize him
Grassley said post Wray failed fundamental duties time chart new course TRANSPARENCY ACCOUNTABILITY at