President Trump suggested Sunday evening that the Department of Justice may be investigating former FBI Director Christopher Wray.
The big picture: Three days after another Trump foe and former FBI Director James Comey was indicted, the president during an interview with NBC accused Wray of "inappropriate" behavior and said he "would think" that the DOJ is investigating him.
Why it matters: The indictment of Comey on charges that he denies of making false statements to Congress and obstructing its investigation into the Russia probe delivered the president and the MAGA movement their first real taste of legal retribution, per Axios Tal Axelrod and Zachary Basu, who suggested other Trump foes could be targeted.
- Trump's comments build on those he wrote in a Saturday Truth Social post during which he accused Wray of lying about the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot, claiming without evidence that the FBI "secretly placed" agents into the crowd — despite a December report by the DOJ inspector general's office finding there's no evidence to support this MAGA movement claim.
What he's saying: "I would imagine. I would certainly imagine. I would think they are doing that," Trump said during his phone interview with NBC after being asked whether the DOJ should investigate Wray, whom the president appointed FBI chief during his first term and who resigned at the end of the Biden administration.
- Wray "did a terrible job and we just found out about it," Trump said. "I think it's very inappropriate what he, what he did. And I think a lot of his service was very inappropriate.
- "But we haven't gone beyond that. Don't forget, we just found out about all of these FBI agents being there," said Trump, in an apparent reference to an unconfirmed report by conservative outlet Blaze Media that 274 plainclothes agents were at the Capitol during the deadly riot by Trump supporters.
Of note: Trump denied to reporters Friday that he has a "list" of enemies to prosecute, but said: "I think there will be others. They are corrupt."
The other side: Wray testified before a congressional committee in 2023, "If you are asking if the violence at the Capitol was part of some operation orchestrated by FBI sources or agents, the answer is no."
- He addressed his relationship with Trump souring after the FBI investigated alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results during a January interview with CBS' "60 Minutes," saying an investigator's job is to "follow the facts wherever they lead, no matter who likes it."
- Representatives for Wray could not immediately be reached for comment.
Go deeper: "The first domino": Comey indictment sets MAGA retribution in motion
