FBI director says he’s ‘not aware of any investigation’ against Trump related to Capitol riot

Christopher Wray added that he could not confirm or deny whether the bureau is investigating specific people

FBI director Christopher Wray has said that he’s “not aware” of any investigation into former president Donald Trump related to the 6 January attack on the US Capitol.

Responding to a question by Democratic representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, he said: “I’m not aware of any investigation that specifically goes to that but we have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of investigations related to 6 January involving lots and lots of different pieces of it and I want to be careful.”

The representative had read out a series of statements made by Mr Trump prior to the attack, asking Mr Wray if they have been reviewed to determine if the former president’s “words and deeds” should be referred to the Justice Department as contributing to the 6 January violence.

Mr Wray, who was appointed by Mr Trump in 2017, appeared at a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Thursday.

When asked again if Mr Trump or any of his associates were being investigated, the FBI director said he could neither confirm nor deny any FBI investigation.

"I'm talking about Mr Big, number one," said Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen, referring to Mr Trump. He asked: “Have you gone after the people who incited the riot?"

Mr Wray responded: "I don't think it would be appropriate for me to be discussing whether or not we are or aren't investigating specific individuals."

The FBI director confirmed to the committee that the agency was treating the 6 January attack as “an act of domestic terrorism” and suggested that more “serious” charges are still to come.

Committee chair Jerry Nadler stressed on the need for a probe into the events leading up to and surrounding the attack on a joint session of Congress on 6 January.

Mr Wray also resisted a call to describe the riot as an “insurrection,” saying it would not be appropriate for him to use that word because of the effect it could have on pending criminal cases.