FBI Director Christopher Wray stated that the United States is facing increasing threats from various angles as law enforcement agencies struggle to perform their duties. Wray commented on Wednesday that “it is hard to think of a time in my career when all sorts of different threats have escalated simultaneously like this.”
Wray’s statements came during an interview with the Associated Press while visiting the FBI’s Minneapolis field office to discuss partnerships between law enforcement agencies and other entities. His remarks come as the FBI is increasingly concerned about domestic and international terrorism, Chinese espionage, intellectual property theft, and foreign interference in elections.
He highlighted the recent attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, which he mentioned could inspire extremists in ways not seen since ISIS declared its caliphate years ago.
The FBI has also been addressing security concerns related to the United States’ southern border, where officials in June revealed the arrest and detention of eight individuals from Tajikistan suspected of links to ISIS on immigration charges.
Additionally, officials are dealing with the specter of foreign interference in elections, with the FBI and other federal agencies announcing on Monday that Iran was responsible for a hacking attempt targeting the presidential campaign of Donald Trump and an attempted hack of the Biden-Harris campaign, described by officials as a “brazen and aggressive effort to meddle in American politics.”
Wray declined to discuss any specific investigations or threats but mentioned that investigations into cyberattacks—including those targeting election infrastructure or candidates’ campaigns—require assistance from the private sector.
Wray emphasized that the FBI is working to strengthen traditional partnerships with state and local law enforcement while also establishing new partnerships with the business sector and academia to address threats targeting cybersecurity or intellectual property.
