History / Offices

Director of the FBI

18 people have held this office since Jul 1, 1935. Now: Kash Patel.

Holders
18
10 R · 6 U · 1 I · 1 D
Longest tenure
37 years
J. Edgar Hoover
Current
20 months
Kash Patel, since Feb 21, 2025
history/office/director-of-the-fbiEvery holder, newest first
+18
194019501960197019801990200020102020J. Edgar Hoover · 1935-07-01 – 1972-05-02 · IndependentClyde Tolson · 1972-05-02 – 1972-05-03L. Patrick Gray · 1972-05-03 – 1973-04-27William Ruckelshaus · 1973-04-30 – 1973-07-09 · RepublicanClarence M. Kelley · 1973-07-09 – 1978-02-15 · RepublicanJames B. Adams · 1978-02-15 – 1978-02-23 · RepublicanWilliam H. Webster · 1978-02-23 – 1987-05-25 · RepublicanJohn Ernest Otto Jr. · 1987-05-26 – 1987-11-02William S. Sessions · 1987-11-02 – 1993-07-19 · RepublicanFloyd I. Clarke · 1993-07-19 – 1993-09-01Louis Joseph Freeh · 1993-09-01 – 2001-06-25 · RepublicanThomas Joseph Pickard · 2001-06-25 – 2001-09-04 · DemocratRobert Mueller · 2001-09-04 – 2013-09-04 · RepublicanJames Comey · 2013-09-04 – 2017-05-09 · RepublicanAndrew G. McCabe · 2017-05-09 – 2017-08-02 · RepublicanChristopher A. Wray · 2017-08-02 – 2025-01-19 · RepublicanBrian Driscoll · 2025-01-20 – 2025-02-21Kash Patel · 2025-02-21 – present
Kash Patel
Feb 21, 2025 – present · 20 months · appointed by Donald Trump
Brian Driscoll (acting)
Jan 20, 2025 – Feb 21, 2025 · 32 days
Christopher A. Wray R
Aug 2, 2017 – Jan 19, 2025 · 7.5 years · appointed by Donald Trump
Andrew G. McCabe R (acting)
May 9, 2017 – Aug 2, 2017 · 3 months
James Comey R
Sep 4, 2013 – May 9, 2017 · 3.7 years · appointed by Barack Obama
Robert Mueller R
Sep 4, 2001 – Sep 4, 2013 · 12 years · appointed by George W. Bush
Thomas Joseph Pickard D (acting)
Jun 25, 2001 – Sep 4, 2001 · 2 months
Louis Joseph Freeh R
Sep 1, 1993 – Jun 25, 2001 · 7.8 years · appointed by Bill Clinton
Floyd I. Clarke (acting)
Jul 19, 1993 – Sep 1, 1993 · 44 days
William S. Sessions R
Nov 2, 1987 – Jul 19, 1993 · 5.7 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan
John Ernest Otto Jr. (acting)
May 26, 1987 – Nov 2, 1987 · 5 months
William H. Webster R
Feb 23, 1978 – May 25, 1987 · 9.2 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter
James B. Adams R (acting)
Feb 15, 1978 – Feb 23, 1978 · 8 days
Clarence M. Kelley R
Jul 9, 1973 – Feb 15, 1978 · 4.6 years · appointed by Richard Nixon
William Ruckelshaus R (acting)
Apr 30, 1973 – Jul 9, 1973 · 2 months
L. Patrick Gray (acting)
May 3, 1972 – Apr 27, 1973 · 12 months
Clyde Tolson (acting)
May 2, 1972 – May 3, 1972 · 1 day
J. Edgar Hoover I
Jul 1, 1935 – May 2, 1972 · 37 years · appointed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Dates are from Wikidata, which has gaps for some historical offices. Consecutive terms of one person are merged.