USA: Trump's FBI pick says Russia probe is not 'witch hunt'

Christopher Wray, FBI Director nominee (English): "Well, Senator, I can't speak to the basis for those comments. I can tell you that my experience with Director Mueller--"

Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Senator (English): "I'm asking you, as the future FBI director, do you consider this endeavor a witch hunt?"

Christopher Wray, FBI Director nominee (English): "I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt."

Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Senator (English): "Thank you."

Christopher Wray, FBI Director nominee (English): "To the members of this committee, any threat or effort to interfere with our elections from any nation state or any non-state actor is the kind of thing the FBI would want to know."

Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Senator (English): "All right, I'll take it we should call you and that's a great answer."

Christopher Wray, FBI Director nominee (English): "Well as Senator Nunn says, there has been a lot of contentious times in American politics, but I think this one certainly ranks up there."

Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Senator (English):"Do you understand the challenge that lies ahead because institutions in the eyes of the American people are suffering, and the last thing that we want to happen is for the FBI to fall out of favour with the American people?"

Christopher Wray, FBI Director nominee (English): "Senator, I think as I said to you in our meeting, I fully understand that this is not a job for the faint of heart and I can assure this committee, I am not faint of heart."

FBI Director Nominee Christopher Wray disagreed with US President Donald Trump's description of the probe into the alleged meddling of Russia into the US election by saying that it is not a "witch hunt", when speaking from a Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington D.C. on Wednesday.

"I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt", Wray answered when speaking about the former FBI Director.

In response to a question on whether Wray was aware of the weight of the task he would be undertaking as the next FBI director, the FBI nominee responded, "Well as Senator Nunn says, there have been a lot of contentious times in American politics, but I think this one certainly ranks up there."

"I fully understand that this is not a job for the faint of heart and I can assure this committee, I am not faint of heart", Wray stated.