FBI Director Warns of Elevated Threats

On Thursday afternoon, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Congress of an "elevated threat" to national security and U.S. pubic safety.

Key Details: Wray addressed the House Appropriations subcommittee to advocate for an increased budget, and to say that the FBI is concerned that individuals in the U.S. will draw inspiration from the Israel-Hamas conflict and carry out acts of violence here at home.

Key Quote: "Looking back over my career in law enforcement, I’d be hard-pressed to think of a time where so many threats to our public safety and national security were so elevated all at once," Wray said in prepared remarks. "But that is the case as I sit here today. This is not a point when we can let up."

For Context: Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is set to expire on April 19. The section monitors foreign nationals overseas.

How the Media Covered it: Fox News (Right bias) noted that the FBI has been accused of improperly spying on Black Lives protesters in the summer of 2009, as well as U.S. Capitol rioters on January 6, 2021 using Section 702. ABC News (Lean Left) noted that some House Republicans are opposed to reauthorizing FISA unless it is amended to require that the U.S. intelligence community get additional warrants to retrieve data on U.S. citizens. Update 4/11/24 2:57 p.m. ET: Edited to reflect Wray's Thursday afternoon congressional testimony.