FBI Director Christopher Wray: Clueless?

11 days later, he claimed to not know that Donald Trump had been hit by an assassin's bullet

In an embarrassing rebuke to FBI Director Chris Wray’s sworn testimony to Congress, his own agency has reportedly issued a statement saying that he was wrong.

In testifying before the House Judiciary Committee this week, Wray told members of Congress that it wasn’t necessarily a bullet that hit former president Donald Trump in the head during his July 13 rally in Pennsylvania.

This echoed a conspiracy theory that was widely circulated, without evidence, by Trump’s enemies shortly after the shooting. They claimed Trump was hit by glass from a shattered teleprompter, or that Trump staged a fake shooting to boost his popularity.

Read on for details.

In testifying to Congress, Wray said that what hit Trump could have been a bullet, shrapnel, or glass.

Today, the FBI issued as statement contradicting its Director’s supposed uncertainty.

"What struck former President Trump in the ear was a bullet, whether whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject’s rifle," read an FBI statement given to ABC News.

The idea that the head of the FBI would not have full information, or would misrepresent it to Congress, incensed Trump supporters.

After Wray cast doubt on Trump’s shooting, Trump posted on social media:

"No, it was, unfortunately, a bullet that hit my ear, and hit it hard. There was no glass, there was no shrapnel. The hospital called it a 'bullet wound to the ear,' and that is what it was.”

It’s not the first time Wray has given incorrect information to Congress. He repeatedly testified, falsely, that there have been no “702” surveillance abuses against US citizens.

Separately, an FBI agent was retaliated against when he alerted others to misleading or false testimony he said Wray provided Congress about the January 6 Capitol riots. Also, a watchdog group has accused Wray of giving false information about the targeting of Catholics.

Additionally, Wray held back FBI documents that documented a “reliable source” alleging a “criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Biden and a foreign national.” A whistleblower told Congress the documents existed. The FBI belatedly turned over a redacted version under threat of subpoena. Then, years after, when Trump announced he was running for president again, Wray’s FBI charged the source who made the allegations of the criminal scheme involving the Bidens.

And Wray has declined to give any information on the role that FBI informants and undercover agents played in the January 6 Capitol riots.

FBI Directors are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They typically serve 10 years. President Trump appointed Wray in May of 2017 after firing James Comey before the end of Comey’s 10-year term.

In August of 2019, the Department of Justice Inspector General recommended Comey be charged with crimes for various schemes related to disparaging President Trump and mishandling sensitive and classified documents.

The IG said that Comey improperly leaked official FBI records to the press; kept copies of work memos he made against Trump in his personal safe at home; and violated FBI policies by providing copies of the memos to his personal attorneys without proper authorization. One of the memos contained classified information, said the IG.

However, the Department of Justice declined to prosecute Comey: one of their own.

If Trump is re-elected, Wray will have a little more than two years left in his term. FBI Directors can be removed by impeachment, or the President can fire them.

Meantime, Trump has announced plans to return to Butler, Pennsylvania for a campaign appearance, and as a tribute to the rally attendee who was shot and killed by what’s assumed to be a stray bullet fired by Trump’s would-be assassin.