The replacements: Who will be the next FBI director?

President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey Tuesday evening, and rumors are already swirling around the beltway concerning who will replace him.

The FBI is America’s premier domestic law enforcement and counter-terrorism institution. Therefore, in the interest of national security, it is essential that President Trump appoint the most qualified candidate for the job, regardless of their political leanings or past. Who is best suited to keep Americans safe?

Here are some of the names that have been floated around to replace James Comey as FBI director.

Rudy Giuliani

The former mayor of New York City has an impressive resume when it comes to hunting down the bad guys. He is also a close ally of President Trump, and his name has surfaced regarding other potential executive branch appointments. However, his ties to foreign countries and businesses could create a problem during confirmation hearings.

Chris Christie

The deeply unpopular outgoing governor of New Jersey has been a loyal partisan for the president’s agenda. Christie, as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, developed a reputation as a no-nonsense prosecutor who was tough on crime. However, his leadership of New Jersey has been an utter disaster.

Christie has the lowest approval ratings of any governor in New Jersey history. He has also fallen out of favor with members of the president’s inner circle, allegedly over his past prosecution into Jared Kushner’s father (who was later sentenced to prison for illegal activities).

Mike Rogers

Former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rogers’ name has been added to the conversation of potential Comey replacements. Rogers worked with members of the Trump transition team on foreign policy and national security strategy. He was brought onto the transition team by Gov. Chris Christie.

Andrew McCabe

McCabe is the acting director of the FBI following Comey’s dismissal. A career bureucrat, he joined the FBI in 1996. There are worries that McCabe is too much of a political partisan for the Left. His wife is reportedly closely connected to allies of Hillary Clinton.

John Pistole

Several outlets have reported that Pistole, a former deputy director of the FBI, is being considered for the post. At the FBI, Pistole focused on counter-terrorism. He was later appointed to lead the TSA. Pistole is currently the president of Anderson University, a private Christian liberal arts school in Indiana.

Trey Gowdy

The firebrand congressman and former prosecutor is also being floated as a possible replacement for Comey. The South Carolina Republican chaired the high-profile House Benghazi Committee. Before becoming a congressman, Gowdy served as a clerk on the South Carolina Court of Appeals.

Ray Kelly

Kelly is the former police commissioner of the New York City Police Department. He served the NYPD in the years following the September 11 attacks, focusing heavily on bolstering his department’s counter-terrorism capabilities.

The White House has not confirmed or denied that any of the aforementioned appointees are in the running or not. The names above have been floated in the media through various reporting methods.