Trump to nominate Christopher Wray as FBI director

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he plans to nominate Christopher Wray, a former US assistant attorney general under President George W. Bush to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

"I will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, a man of impeccable credentials, to be the new Director of the FBI. Details to follow," Trump said on Twitter.

Wray served as assistant attorney general overseeing the criminal division from 2003 to 2005, in charge of investigations into corporate fraud, and is now in private practice.

I will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, a man of impeccable credentials, to be the new Director of the FBI. Details to follow.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2017

He was also a lawyer representing New Jersey Governor - and Trump ally - Chris Christie during the "Bridgegate" scandal, in which two of Christie’s former aides were convicted of plotting to close lanes of the bridge to punish a Democratic mayor who wouldn’t endorse the governor. Christie, who has informally advised the president, was not charged in the case.

Wray’s nomination must be confirmed by the Senate.

The post has been vacant for the past month after the president fired James Comey from the role on 9 May as he was overseeing a federal probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 election.