Former FBI Director James Comey has tried to reassure his former colleagues on the Bureau forward of President-elect Donald Trump’s second time period.

In a press release posted to Instagram a day earlier than FBI Director Christopher Wray introduced he’d be stepping down, Comey wrote: “I notice there may be an excessive amount of anxiousness within the Bureau now — produced by the rhetoric of those that have cause to concern sincere investigators.

“However please know you’ll be okay in the long term.”

The previous FBI director’s tenure on the division abruptly resulted in 2017 when then-President Trump fired him.

Comey came upon about his termination whereas talking to staff at an FBI discipline workplace in Might of that 12 months. As he spoke, a tv close to him flashed “Comey Resigns.” He thought his staff was taking part in a prank on him, Comey informed ABC Information in 2018, however quickly realized the information was no joke.

On the time, he had been main an investigation into whether or not Trump’s advisers colluded with the Russian authorities to sway the end result of the 2016 presidential election. Trump fired him as a result of he refused to cease the investigation.

“The particular burden of being within the FBI is that you simply lack pals in excessive locations — by design,” Comey’s assertion continued. “America has needed you to be lonely for the reason that searing classes of Watergate. As soon as upon a time, the FBI director was a pal of presidents, sharing late-night drinks and utilizing the Bureau to do favors for the highly effective.

“However the nation realized 50 years in the past that it isn’t within the nationwide curiosity for the FBI to be loyal to something besides the structure and the regulation.”

Comey famous how, in recent times, federal investigators have investigated each Republicans and Democrats, together with Trump and former New Jersey Democratic senator Bob Menendez in 2022.

“These investigations predictably led the politicians and their followers to decry the alleged partisan bias of the FBI,” Comey wrote. “A company devoted solely to discovering out what’s true may have few followers amongst politicians who’ve executed one thing they shouldn’t have.”

“However when the liars depart the stage, you’ll nonetheless be at work, looking for information in a cautious and sincere manner,” he added.

The Impartial has reached out to Comey for remark.

Final month, Trump introduced he would nominate MAGA loyalist Kash Patel to guide the FBI. In an ABC Information interview on Sunday, Trump mentioned he wasn’t “thrilled” with Wray’s efficiency, stating the director had “invaded” his Mar-a-Lago residence to seek for categorized paperwork.

When requested if he meant to fireplace Wray to make room for Patel, Trump informed the NBC Information reporter: “It might type of appear fairly apparent that if Kash will get in, he’s going to be taking any individual’s place proper, and any individual is the person that you simply’re speaking about.”

Wray introduced his resignation on Wednesday, stating he would solely serve till the top of President Joe Biden’s administration. “For my part, that is one of the best ways to keep away from dragging the Bureau deeper into the fray, whereas reinforcing the values and rules which can be so vital to how we do our work,” mentioned Wray, who Trump appointed to the place in 2017. He’s at present seven years into his 10-year time period.

Patel, who will should be confirmed by the US Senate, has advocated for firing employees and happening a prosecution spree to meet Trump’s promise of retribution, though Trump mentioned he wouldn’t particularly direct Patel to go after his political enemies.

Comey inspired Bureau staff to proceed doing the job they’ve been educated to do by opening circumstances when proof warrants it and launching investigations as rules require.

“Your job is difficult, the hours crushing, the pay mediocre. You get threatened and lied about. Individuals attempt to damage you continuously,” his assertion learn. “The water is tough proper now and the ocean is more likely to rage over the subsequent 4 years, however your kids and grandchildren can be proud that you simply stayed true to the values of your nice establishment.”

He added: “There’s at all times accountability even when it appears years away.”