The head of the FBI has sent a morale-boosting email to his staff in the wake of verbal attacks on the bureau by President Donald Trump.
On Sunday Trump said that the reputation of the FBI was ‘in tatters’ and ‘the worst in History [sic]’.
The following day FBI Director Chris Wray emailed his staff to tell them that he is ‘continually reminded of the breadth and significance of our work,’ according to an email obtained by CBS News.
‘I am inspired by example after example of professionalism and dedication to justice demonstrated around the Bureau,’ he wrote. ‘It is truly an honor to represent you.’
FBI Director Chris Wray (pictured) has attempted to boost staff morale by commending their ‘professionalism and dedication to justice’ and to carry on with ‘fidelity, bravery, and integrity’
Wray’s email was sent Monday, the day after President Donald Trump wrote this tweet amid the ongoing investigation into his team’s alleged collusion with Russia during the election
Wray said that he would be testifying on Capitol Hill at the end of the week, and that he was aware of how much the Bureau was now in the public eye.
He continued: ‘We find ourselves under the microscope each and every day – and rightfully so.’
‘We do hard work for a living. We are entrusted with protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution and laws of the United States.
‘Because of the importance of our mission, we are also entrusted with great power, and we should expect – and welcome – people asking tough questions about how we use that power. That goes with this job and always has.’
He told his staff to ‘continue to keep focused on our critical mission with fidelity, bravery, and integrity,’ saying that ‘The American people rightly expect this from us.’
Wray finished the letter with ‘Keep calm and tackle hard’ – something he said was one of his favorite ‘work maxims’.
On Sunday, Trump wrote: ‘After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters – worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness.’
That tweet came amid the continuing investigation by the FBI and Special Counsel Robert Mueller into possible collusion between Trump’s team and Russia during the election.
Ex-FBI director and current special counsel for the Russia investigation Robert Mueller (left) has obtained financial documents relating to Trump. Trump owes $300m to a German bank
On Tuesday it emerged that Mueller had subpoenaed financial records from Deutsche Bank regarding Trump’s debts to it.
He owes the bank around $300 million for building loans.
Word of the subpoena comes just days after former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the US.
Mueller has also obtained a guilty plea from Trump campaign foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos.
Two other Trump figures, former campaign chair Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, have been arrested on money laundering charges.
Manafort is now trying to raise his $10 million bail; he has pleaded not guilty.
Trump told the New York Times this past summer he would consider it a ‘violation’ if Mueller were to expand the probe beyond Russia.