Trump to nominate lawyer Wray as new FBI director

US President Donald Trump has said he will nominate former Department of Justice official Christopher Wray as the new director of the FBI.

James Comey was sacked as the head of the US agency earlier this year by Trump's administration, and is due to testify publicly in front of the Senate on Thursday in a crucial part of an investigation into links between the President’s team and the Kremlin.

Wray has previously served as an assistant attorney general during the George W Bush presidency.

Trump’s appointment of Wray must be confirmed by the Senate.

The lawyer also recently represented New Jersey governor Chris Christie in a recent dispute involving the George Washington bridge in the state.

Announcing the decision via his favoured social media site Twitter, Trump said Wray was “a man of impeccable credentials”.

Thursday’s testimony from Comey is likely to see the former director being asked about private conversations between himself and Trump, which he was reported to have recorded in a series of memos.

Comey will also be subject to a private hearing from the Senate intelligence committee.