Thursday while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray said he never had “completely understood” the concept of a “deep state” in government.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) asked, “So I asked in another hearing, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, was there a deep state at the State Department. He laughed, and he basically said no, there was not. So, Director Wray, I’m going to ask you. Is there a deep state at the FBI?”

Wray answered, “Congressman, I’ve never completely understood the term ‘deep state.’ What I can tell you is that we have 37,000 men and women working in field offices all over the country and in offices all over the world. They are people of character, of courage, of principle, of selflessness and of patriotism. And that’s the FBI that I see.”

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