--- title: Christopher Wray: Donald Trump Didn't Ask For Loyalty Oath description: Christopher Wray, Trump's pick for FBI Director, said that no one in the White House had asked him for a loyalty pledge. canonical: https://time.com/4854755/donald-trump-fbi-director-christopher-wray-james-comey-loyalty/ author: Alana Abramson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-07-12T15:46:14.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T16:31:30.572Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump's FBI Pick 'Sure As Heck' Didn't Offer Loyalty Pledge og:description: After his predecessor, James Comey, said Trump demanded one og:url: https://time.com/4854755/donald-trump-fbi-director-christopher-wray-james-comey-loyalty/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt143d00d240f373b2/6988d550096a942fed69ebac/gettyimages-813281380.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4000 og:image:height: 2250 og:image:alt: Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing For FBI Director Nominee Christopher Wray og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump's FBI Pick 'Sure As Heck' Didn't Offer Loyalty Pledge twitter:description: After his predecessor, James Comey, said Trump demanded one twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt143d00d240f373b2/6988d550096a942fed69ebac/gettyimages-813281380.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump's FBI Pick 'Sure As Heck' Didn't Offer Loyalty Pledge > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=9e3a27b8-e675-44be-9130-64f42aeb515e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=9e3a27b8-e675-44be-9130-64f42aeb515e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=9e3a27b8-e675-44be-9130-64f42aeb515e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=9e3a27b8-e675-44be-9130-64f42aeb515e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1)  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Jul 12, 2017 3:46 PM UTC  Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) nominee for U.S. President Donald Trump, listens during a Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, July 12, 2017. Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) nominee for U.S. President Donald Trump, listens during a Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, July 12, 2017. Bloomberg—Bloomberg via Getty Images  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Jul 12, 2017 3:46 PM UTC [President Donald Trump’s](http://time.com/4854413/bastille-day-2017-donald-trump-macron-france-paris/) pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday that nobody has asked him to take a loyalty pledge. “I sure as heck didn’t offer one,” said Trump FBI nominee [Christopher Wray](http://time.com/4851428/christopher-wray-fbi-director-senate-testimony/) during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday. He added that he would not make such a pledge if asked. [James Comey](http://time.com/4840352/house-intelligence-committee-president-donald-trump-james-comey-tapes-subpoena/), the former FBI Director who Trump abruptly fired in May, said during [congressional testimony](https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/os-jcomey-060817.pdf) last month that Trump had asked him for “total loyalty” during a private dinner at the White House in January. Comey has said he responded to Trump’s request by telling the President he would always give him “honesty.” Comey says Trump then responded, “That’s what I want, honest loyalty.” Shortly after Comey was fired, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller as special counsel to oversee an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and any possible collusion between Trump’s electoral campaign and the Russian government. Trump has repeatedly decried that investigation, as well as parallel inquiries from various congressional committees, as a political “witch hunt.” During his hearing Wednesday, Wray disagreed with Trump’s characterization of the investigations. “I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt,” he said. Wray later added that if Trump asked him to do something unlawful, he would first try to discuss the matter with the President, and failing that, he would resign. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4854755/donald-trump-fbi-director-christopher-wray-james-comey-loyalty/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4854755/donald-trump-fbi-director-christopher-wray-james-comey-loyalty/"},"headline":"Trump's FBI Pick 'Sure As Heck' Didn't Offer Loyalty Pledge","datePublished":"2017-07-12T15:46:14.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T16:31:30.572Z","description":"After his predecessor, James Comey, said Trump demanded one","url":"https://time.com/4854755/donald-trump-fbi-director-christopher-wray-james-comey-loyalty/","keywords":["Law Enforcement","White House","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt143d00d240f373b2/6988d550096a942fed69ebac/gettyimages-813281380.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alana Abramson","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt143d00d240f373b2/6988d550096a942fed69ebac/gettyimages-813281380.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing For FBI Director Nominee Christopher Wray","caption":"Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing For FBI Director Nominee Christopher Wray","creditText":"Bloomberg—Bloomberg via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/law-enforcement/","name":"Law Enforcement"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4854755/donald-trump-fbi-director-christopher-wray-james-comey-loyalty/","name":"Trump's FBI Pick 'Sure As Heck' Didn't Offer Loyalty Pledge"}}]}] ```