Paul M. Abbate ( ; born 1967) is an American law enforcement officer who served as the acting

director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation The director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a United States federal law enforcement agency, and is responsible for its day-to-day operations. The FBI director is appointed for a ...

from January 19 to January 20, 2025, following

Christopher A. Wray Christopher Asher Wray (born December 17, 1966) is an American attorney who served as the eighth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2017 to 2025. He was nominated by President Donald Trump to replace James Comey. He was ...

's resignation. He served as the

deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation The deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (formerly known as the associate director) is a senior Federal government of the United States, United States government position in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The office is se ...

from 2021 until his retirement on January 20, 2025. He previously served as the associate deputy director from 2018 to 2021. Abbate has a

Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...

from the

University of Connecticut School of Law The University of Connecticut School of Law (UConn Law) is the law school associated with the University of Connecticut and located in Hartford, Connecticut. It is the only public law school in Connecticut and one of only four in New England. As ...

.Paul M. Abbate named SAIC of the Counterterrorism Division, Washington field office
archives.fbi.gov. Accessed February 12, 2025. He started his

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

(FBI) career in March 1996. He was assigned to the

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Field Office, where he worked in the Criminal Division and served as a member of the

SWAT team A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations. SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to reso ...

. In 2012, he was named Special Agent In Charge of the Counterterrorism Division. He led FBI field operations while deployed in

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

and

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

. In 2017, after President Trump's

dismissal of James Comey James Comey, the seventh director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), was fired by U.S. President Donald Trump on May 9, 2017. Comey had been criticized in 2016 for his handling of the FBI's investigation of the Hillary Clinton emai ...

, Abbate was on the shortlist of officials considered for the role of FBI director. In February 2018, Abbate was named associate deputy director of the FBI. He was succeeded by Jeffrey Sallet, after being promoted to deputy director of the FBI in February 2021. He retired on January 20, 2025, having stayed on briefly with then-FBI Director Chris Wray's permission after reaching the mandatory age of 57. Wray had retired four days earlier. Acting

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

James McHenry James McHenry (November 16, 1753 – May 3, 1816) was an Irish American military surgeon, statesman, and a Founding Father of the United States. McHenry was a signer of the United States Constitution from Maryland, initiated the recommendation ...

then appointed Robert Kissane, special agent in charge for counterterrorism in New York, to serve as acting deputy director of the FBI.

Awards

Abbate was named one of 22 people chosen as ''Security'' Magazine's "Most Influential People in Security 2020".

References

External links

* , - , - 1967 births American police officers Associate deputy directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Biden administration personnel Deputy directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Law enforcement officials from New York City Living people Date of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) {{US-gov-bio-stub