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Serving as Director of the FBI for the past seven years has given me unparalleled insight into the threats to our country. Public safety and national security. From where I sit, these threats are more serious and complex than at any time since I began my law enforcement career nearly 30 years ago.
Our adversaries – whether violent gangs, child predators, gangs, hackers, hostile nation-states, or terrorists – are bolder, better resourced, more technologically savvy, and more ruthless than ever before. With the push of a button, a foreign hacker could shut down a hospital or disconnect our critical infrastructure. A would-be terrorist could communicate with conspirators abroad through encrypted applications to secretly plan an attack on American soil. Cartels can manufacture large quantities of deadly drugs with powers never seen before using chemicals obtained halfway around the world.
the Terrorist threat It is being raised across the board. Foreign terrorist organizations have drawn inspiration from the horrific October 7 Hamas attacks to plan coordinated attacks here at home, while violent extremists, inspired by a variety of ideologies and grievances, are mobilizing more quickly than ever and leaving fewer spots for investigators To communicate and even less time to connect them.
FBI Director Wray reveals why he resigned during 'such a dangerous time'
The tragedy that occurred in New Orleans on New Year's Day is a recent example of the danger posed by individuals radicalized online using easily accessible weapons to go after soft targets — ordinary people going about their daily lives — making it more difficult to detect and investigate the terrorist threat. And eliminate it. And disable.
Foreign adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran are not only stealing government secrets, they are directly targeting the American people and going after the things we depend on most. Hostile nation-states are stealing Americans' personal data on a staggering scale, conducting widespread theft from companies large and small, exporting their own signs of repression to our shores, and engaging in audacious cyber operations targeting our critical infrastructure. The Chinese government, in particular, has gone to unprecedented efforts to destroy American innovation, steal our most precious personal data, and interfere with our free and open society. This will go down in history as the defining threat to our generation.
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Beyond terrorism and nation-state threats, violent crime, which has reached alarming levels in recent years, continues to plague too many societies. Cartels flood our country with fentanyl and other deadly drugs that claim the lives of countless Americans every year. Child predators lurk in the dark recesses of the internet and target the innocent and vulnerable.
From my seat, I see serious threats to adults that require serious adult attention. But I've also seen something else over the past seven years: inspiring The men and women of the FBIwho address these threats every day with passion, skill, and a strong commitment to public service and the rule of law. I have seen firsthand the work they are doing alongside our brothers and sisters in law enforcement at the state, local level and across government in record numbers to keep our communities safe.
FBI Director Wray reveals why he resigned during 'such a dangerous time'
In recent years, working together, the FBI and our partners have arrested approximately 50 violent criminals a day, every day. They have saved hundreds of children from their tormentors and put hundreds of predators behind bars. They have dismantled hundreds of gangs terrorizing neighborhoods across the country and seized enough fentanyl to kill nearly 80 percent of all Americans. They innovated to address emerging threats by taking the fight to cybercriminals, saving victims around the world nearly $800 million in ransom payments. They have been monitoring the ever-present terrorist threat, thwarting attacks on houses of worship in Las Vegas, Long Beach and Pittsburgh, a crowded pier in San FranciscoCleveland's Fourth of July Parade, and countless other communities across the country. I couldn't be more proud of the work they did and the sacrifices they made to keep us all safe.
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However, this is not the time to become complacent or distracted. Looking to the future, the challenges facing our security will become more difficult, and our margin for error will continue to shrink. America's adversaries will continue to try to exploit the divisions in our country to intensify their efforts against us. But our focus must be on the threats and our work, not on what divides us. We must continue to confront the risks facing our country objectively, rigorously and professionally. This is what the American people expect and deserve.
I know that the men and women of the FBI, working alongside our partners, are up to the task. But I also know that our future security depends on it The FBI at its best. The FBI needs the resources to match what our adversaries throw at us and the public's continued support for its essential work. The stakes couldn't be higher. We simply cannot afford to lose focus or be unprepared.
