Christopher Wray, then an assistant attorney general, at a press conference in Washington in 2005. AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson President Donald Trump has chosen a former Department of Justice official, Christopher Wray, as his pick to lead the FBI.

"I will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, a man of impeccable credentials, to be the new Director of the FBI. Details to follow," Trump tweeted Wednesday morning.

Wray is a former assistant attorney general who oversaw the DOJ's criminal division under President George W. Bush from 2003 to 2005.

He is a partner at the law firm King & Spalding, and he was the lawyer for Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey during the "Bridgegate" trial.

Wray's choice was viewed as a safe one for Trump amid a political firestorm over his firing of James Comey in May. Comey, who was overseeing the FBI's investigation into Russian meddling in the election, is set to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday.Sen. Mark Warner, the leading Democrat on the committee, said Trump's announcement Wednesday was "an effort to distract from our Senate hearings today & tomorrow."

If confirmed, Wray will enter the job as Robert Mueller — a former FBI director — leads the investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia.