FBI Director Christopher Wray has issued a stark warning about the escalating threats facing the United States from multiple fronts, emphasizing a sense of urgency within the law enforcement community. In an exclusive interview, Wray highlighted the unprecedented nature of this multi-faceted threat landscape, stating, “I am hard-pressed to think of a time in my career where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.”
Wray’s concerns encompass a range of serious issues, including domestic and international terrorism, Chinese espionage and intellectual property theft, and foreign interference in elections. These threats have placed significant strain on law enforcement agencies, who are struggling to manage the growing complexities of these issues. “I worry about the combination of that many threats being elevated at once, with the challenges facing the men and women in law enforcement more generally,” Wray said. “And the one thing that I think helps bridge those two challenges is partnerships. That’s how we get through. It is by all working together.”
The FBI Director’s assessment echoes the alarm he has been sounding for several months. Following the Hamas attack in Israel in October 2023, Wray warned that the violence could inspire militants, potentially leading to a surge in extremist activity reminiscent of the ISIS caliphate era. The agency has also been actively engaged in addressing security concerns along the U.S.-Mexico border, culminating in the arrest of eight individuals with suspected ties to the Islamic State group in June 2024.
Furthermore, the FBI is grappling with the ongoing threat of foreign election interference. In a recent announcement, the agency revealed that Iran was responsible for a cyberattack targeting the Trump campaign and an attempted breach of the Biden-Harris campaign. This activity represents a bold and aggressive attempt to influence American politics, according to federal officials.
Wray, while declining to discuss specific investigations, emphasized the crucial role of collaboration with the private sector in addressing cyber threats, including those targeting election infrastructure, candidates, and campaigns. “One of the things that we have been doubling down on with every passing day is, is on partnerships, because ultimately you’re talking about the ability to connect the dots, whether it’s against some kind of election influence threat or some other kind of threat,” Wray said. “You need to have partners sharing information with each other to put the two pieces together to see the bigger picture.”
The FBI Director also acknowledged the growing danger faced by law enforcement officers, pointing to the alarming rate of on-duty deaths. Approximately one officer is killed every five days in the line of duty, with four first responders losing their lives in Minnesota alone in 2024. This violence, Wray stated, is deeply distressing and a constant reminder of the risks inherent in their profession. The FBI itself has not been immune to such attacks, as evidenced by the incident at its Cincinnati office in August 2023, where a gunman who called for the killing of federal agents was fatally shot after attempting to breach the building.
In response to these multifaceted challenges, the FBI is actively strengthening partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies, while also forging new alliances with businesses and academia. These collaborative efforts aim to bolster cybersecurity defenses, protect intellectual property, and address emerging threats. In Minneapolis and other cities, the FBI is working with school resource officers and mental health professionals to intervene early and support at-risk teenagers, potentially preventing future threats from materializing. Wray highlighted the importance of engaging with the tech sector to protect innovations and artificial intelligence (AI) from foreign exploitation.
“AI is in many ways the most effective tool against the bad guys’ use of AI,” Wray said. “So we need to work closely with industry to try to help make sure that American AI can be used to help protect American people from AI-enabled threats coming the other way.”
Wray’s message underscores the critical need for a united front to combat the growing number of threats facing the United States. His call for increased collaboration across various sectors is a recognition of the complex nature of these challenges, requiring a comprehensive approach to effectively mitigate risks and protect national security.
