Wray was a federal prosecutor in Georgia before joining the Justice Department in 2001 under the George W. Bush administration. From 2003 to 2005, he served as the head of the agency's Criminal Division.

By all measures, he is a much more traditional choice for FBI director than some of the other individuals Trump has reportedly considered for the job since firing Comey on May 9. The list of possible nominees has, at various points, included former Sen. Joseph Lieberman and current Sen. John Cornyn. Both men would have been extremely unusual picks because, contrary to Trump's apparent instincts, the FBI is supposed to be an apolitical institution.

Both Lieberman and Cornyn withdrew their names from consideration, contributing to a sense that the Trump administration was having a hard time finding a replacement for Comey, as the job of FBI director under Donald Trump seems like a thankless and potentially career-destroying one.