OMAHA — FBI Director Christopher Wray spoke to reporters Wednesday at the FBI's Omaha field office, days after the FBI search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.Ìý
Wray, who was appointed by Trump in 2017, said he couldn't speak to specifics regarding the investigation.
The search, which occurred Monday, came as part of an investigation into the potential mishandling of classified information after the National Archives said that earlier this year it had retrieved from Mar-a-Lago 15 boxes of records containing classified information.
A lawyer for Trump said Tuesday that investigators said they were “looking for classified information that they think should not have been removed from the White House, as well as presidential records.â€
A federal judge had to sign off on the warrant after establishing that FBI agents had shown probable cause that a crime had occurred before they could search Trump’s home.
Trump has criticized the search, describing it as an “unannounced raid†that he likened to “prosecutorial misconduct.†His supporters, including some elected officials, have called for the dismantling of the FBI. Other supporters have taken to online forums with a call to arms and comments about a civil war.
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When asked about those statements, Wray said he always is concerned when violence against law enforcement is brought up.Ìý
"Any threats made against law enforcement, including the men and women of the FBI, as with any law enforcement agency, are deplorable and dangerous," Wray said.Ìý
Ahead of his news conference, Wray met with leaders of Nebraska law enforcement agencies. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer was seen leaving the FBI building late Wednesday morning. Wray said he also has met in recent days with law enforcement officials in Iowa and Illinois.Ìý
Wray was in the field office, in part, to speak about the potential for cyberattacks on the agriculture industry. He said officials have seen an uptick in such attacks on grain co-ops and agriculture production facilities. Reliance on data and technology in the field have streamlined agriculture processes, but it also makes the industry more vulnerable to cyberattacks.Ìý
Wray and other department officials encouraged organizations to have a plan in place in case of a cyberattack — and to contact the FBI should an incident occur.Ìý
Wray also announced that FBI agents recently had helped stop a cyberattack on a hospital in David City.
Officials with the Irish counterpart to the FBI first identified the cyberattack on the Butler County Health Care Center in early July, said Ken Schmutz, supervisory special agent. Irish officials notified the FBI and within hours, local officials started investigating.Ìý
The infected server was taken offline so no malware could spread to the rest of the network and compromise patient care.Ìý
Officials still are investigating to determine who was behind the attack and how they infiltrated the system, Schmutz said.Ìý