Trump names Brian Driscoll acting FBI director

President Trump wasted no time making a significant move on his Inauguration Day by appointing Brian Driscoll as the acting director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Driscoll, who became a special agent in 2007, brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked in the FBI’s New York field office and served on the agency’s SWAT team.

The announcement of Driscoll’s appointment came shortly after FBI acting director Paul Abbate retired, just minutes before Trump assumed office. Christopher Wray had stepped down from his position the day before, and Abbate had only held the acting director post for a single day.

In an email obtained by the New York Times, Abbate expressed his confidence in Driscoll and the rest of the FBI team to continue carrying out the agency’s mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution. Driscoll’s appointment as acting director follows his recent promotion by then-FBI director Wray to the special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Newark, New Jersey.

According to a press release from the FBI, Driscoll previously commanded the agency’s Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) and served as the Critical Incident Response Group’s (CIRG) Tactical Section chief. His tenure with the FBI has seen him collaborate with foreign law enforcement and military partners to conduct operations and training, strengthening global partnerships.

Driscoll’s time as acting director is expected to be temporary, pending the confirmation of Kashyap “Kash” Patel as the FBI’s next director by the U.S. Senate. Trump nominated Patel in November, praising him as an “America First fighter” with a track record of exposing corruption and defending justice.

As the transition of leadership unfolds at the FBI, the agency remains focused on its core mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution. With Driscoll at the helm, the FBI is poised to continue its crucial work in safeguarding the nation’s security and upholding the rule of law.

Andrea Margolis is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can send story tips to andrea.margolis@fox.com.