--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The FBI's principal priority right now is…" description: "\"The FBI's principal priority right now is protecting the United States against another terrorist attack.\" — Robert Mueller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/robert-mueller-11191_fbi_the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-i_852468.jpg" --- # The FBI's principal priority right now is protecting the… ![“The FBI's principal priority right now is protecting the United States against another terrorist attack.” quote by Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/robert-mueller-11191_fbi_the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-i_852468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/robert-mueller-11191_fbi_the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-i_852468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/robert-mueller-11191_fbi_the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-i_852468.jpg) > “The FBI's principal priority right now is protecting the United States against another terrorist attack.” [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The FBI’s main focus is preventing future terrorist attacks in the U.S. **In simple terms:** Preventing terrorism is top priority. Key Takeaway Support security measures. Themes security terrorism policy government Mood serious urgent Type policy informative When to use this quote - policy planning - public safety - intelligence analysis Key Concepts law enforcement national safety Questions to Reflect On - How can security respect freedoms? - What measures best deter threats? A Different Perspective Balancing civil liberties is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Terrorist attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist-attack/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [And from the moment that we realized it was a terrorist attack, there isn't an agent or a support person in the FBI that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/and-from-the-moment-that-we-realized-it-was-a-terrorist-attack-there/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [When you suveil a person abroad, you don't have to have a warrant to do so. That has never been so they don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/when-you-suveil-a-person-abroad-you-don-t-have-to-have-a-warrant-to/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [And at that point, I think we all realized it was something tremendously tragic, probably a terrorist attack, and the next step was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/and-at-that-point-i-think-we-all-realized-it-was-something/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [In the wake of the September 11 attacks, it became clear that the FBI's number one priority must be the prevention of another terrorist attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/in-the-wake-of-the-september-11-attacks-it-became-clear-that-the-fbi/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I know when I was here prosecuting homicides in the District of Columbia, one of the most effective units here was the cold case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-know-when-i-was-here-prosecuting-homicides-in-the-district-of/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [For the FBI and for the United States, the war on terrorism is a complex and perplexing issue. It is as complex and perplexing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/for-the-fbi-and-for-the-united-states-the-war-on-terrorism-is-a/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [In the United States, it's the mandate of the FBI to gather information relating to terrorism, go out and collect it, to do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/in-the-united-states-it-s-the-mandate-of-the-fbi-to-gather/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [But we had - I think if you look at law enforcement 10 years ago, if you look at the challenges, the FBI was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/but-we-had-i-think-if-you-look-at-law-enforcement-10-years-ago-if-you/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I am confident that every action we took as the FBI detained individuals in the wake of 9/11 was appropriately done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-am-confident-that-every-action-we-took-as-the-fbi-detained/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [And so every one of us in the FBI, I don't care if it's a file clerk someplace or an agent there or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/and-so-every-one-of-us-in-the-fbi-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-a-file-clerk/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [They're - FBI agents are some of the finest people you'll find anyplace in the country or the world. And I'm lucky to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/they-re-fbi-agents-are-some-of-the-finest-people-you-ll-find-anyplace/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I didn't know the organization, but the one thing you can say about the FBI, it's tremendously professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-didn-t-know-the-organization-but-the-one-thing-you-can-say-about/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [This is no time to be precious about locating the exact individuals directly involved in this particular terrorist attack… We know who the homicidal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/this-is-no-time-to-be-precious-about-locating-the-exact-individuals/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [On a Tuesday, September 11th, 1973, we had the military coup in Chile that forced me to leave my country eventually. And then, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/on-a-tuesday-september-11th-1973-we-had-the-military-coup-in-chile/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [We are always just one successful terrorist attack away from a nuclear disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/we-are-always-just-one-successful-terrorist-attack-away-from-a/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) ## More by Robert Mueller > [But since September 11, we have made every effort to try to work closely with state and local law enforcement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/but-since-september-11-we-have-made-every-effort-to-try-to-work/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I didn't know the organization, but the one thing you can say about the FBI, it's tremendously professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-didn-t-know-the-organization-but-the-one-thing-you-can-say-about/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [But we had - I think if you look at law enforcement 10 years ago, if you look at the challenges, the FBI was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/but-we-had-i-think-if-you-look-at-law-enforcement-10-years-ago-if-you/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I do believe when there are advances in technology that it is important to balance the privacy interests affected with the investigative take that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-do-believe-when-there-are-advances-in-technology-that-it-is/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [For the FBI and for the United States, the war on terrorism is a complex and perplexing issue. It is as complex and perplexing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/for-the-fbi-and-for-the-united-states-the-war-on-terrorism-is-a/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [There'll be differences of opinion in just about every intelligence analysis that you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/there-ll-be-differences-of-opinion-in-just-about-every-intelligence/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [As I said before, there are often disagreements as to what a particular set of facts mean. That is not at all unusual, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/as-i-said-before-there-are-often-disagreements-as-to-what-a/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [We had to address information technology in the ways we had not before and give the agents the tools that they need to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/we-had-to-address-information-technology-in-the-ways-we-had-not/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [In the United States, it's the mandate of the FBI to gather information relating to terrorism, go out and collect it, to do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/in-the-united-states-it-s-the-mandate-of-the-fbi-to-gather/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [In the last 10 years, in narcotics task forces, in a number of violent crime task forces, we've worked very closely together with state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/in-the-last-10-years-in-narcotics-task-forces-in-a-number-of-violent/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [The overwhelming majority of Muslims in this country and overseas are peaceful, law-abiding citizens. However, a small number of Muslims are members of fundamentalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/the-overwhelming-majority-of-muslims-in-this-country-and-overseas-are/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [So there is a foreign intelligence purpose for every one of our FISA warrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/so-there-is-a-foreign-intelligence-purpose-for-every-one-of-our-fisa/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I asked a Burmese why women, after centuries of following their men, now walk ahead. He said there were many unexploded land mines since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-asked-a-burmese-why-women-after-centuries-of-following-their-men/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [In the wake of the September 11 attacks, it became clear that the FBI's number one priority must be the prevention of another terrorist attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/in-the-wake-of-the-september-11-attacks-it-became-clear-that-the-fbi/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I remember... seeing the first plane go into the towers and thinking: 'It's a beautiful day. Somebody really must have gotten off course to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-remember-seeing-the-first-plane-go-into-the-towers-and-thinking-it/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) [Explore all 61 Robert Mueller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) ## More Fbi quotes > [Martha Stewart showed up at Manhattan FBI Headquarters to have her finger prints taken and pose for a mug shot. Then Martha explained how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/martha-stewart-showed-up-at-manhattan-fbi-headquarters-to-have-her/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I know firsthand from my experience working counterintelligence investigations for the FBI that kicking a diplomat out of the country is no small thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asha-rangappa/i-know-firsthand-from-my-experience-working-counterintelligence/) [Asha Rangappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asha-rangappa/) > [An FBI agent ought to be able to surf the net and look for sites that instruct people how to make bombs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/an-fbi-agent-ought-to-be-able-to-surf-the-net-and-look-for-sites-that/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [It won't ruin our movement if someone gets killed in an animal rights action. It's going to happen sooner or later. The Animal Liberation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/it-won-t-ruin-our-movement-if-someone-gets-killed-in-an-animal-rights/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [On the one hand, you don't want to disrupt the nation with what might look like a vindictive prosecution, even though it might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/on-the-one-hand-you-don-t-want-to-disrupt-the-nation-with-what-might/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [Asked at the hearing why she hadn't pressed the FBI more closely about what it knew, or didn't know, about domestic terrorist threats, Rice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-fineman/asked-at-the-hearing-why-she-hadn-t-pressed-the-fbi-more-closely/) [Howard Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-fineman/) > [I didn't know the organization, but the one thing you can say about the FBI, it's tremendously professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-didn-t-know-the-organization-but-the-one-thing-you-can-say-about/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [That job should not be a political job. We should not be hearing very publicly from the leader of the FBI.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-bondi/that-job-should-not-be-a-political-job-we-should-not-be-hearing-very/) [Pam Bondi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-bondi/) > [You know, back in the 1950s and '60s, when J. Edgar Hoover was making the FBI the respected organization it used to be, oftentimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-carr/you-know-back-in-the-1950s-and-60s-when-j-edgar-hoover-was-making-the/) [Howie Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-carr/) > [But we had - I think if you look at law enforcement 10 years ago, if you look at the challenges, the FBI was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/but-we-had-i-think-if-you-look-at-law-enforcement-10-years-ago-if-you/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [The FBI has a very clear policy. They don't expose victims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lankford/the-fbi-has-a-very-clear-policy-they-don-t-expose-victims/) [James Lankford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lankford/) > [Bob Mueller for the FBI, myself, met with a particular group of executives that have major roles in the so-called ISPs, the Internet service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-napolitano/bob-mueller-for-the-fbi-myself-met-with-a-particular-group-of/) [Janet Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-napolitano/) > [Neither Mueller, the Obama FBI, DOJ, CIA, State Department, nor the Deep State ever had a good-faith basis to pursue President Trump on Russia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fitton/neither-mueller-the-obama-fbi-doj-cia-state-department-nor-the-deep/) [Tom Fitton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fitton/) > [In other words, under Attorney General John Ashcroft, the FBI, the INS and the Department of Justice are so out of control that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/in-other-words-under-attorney-general-john-ashcroft-the-fbi-the-ins/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [I heard some good news today, the FBI and the CIA are going to start cooperating. They are going to start working together. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-heard-some-good-news-today-the-fbi-and-the-cia-are-going-to-start/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) Browse all 420 Fbi quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The FBI's principal priority right now is protecting the United States against another terrorist attack.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Mueller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-is-protecting-the-united/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fbi" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-is-protecting-the-united/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/robert-mueller-11191_fbi_the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-i_852468.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/robert-mueller-11191_fbi_the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-i_852468.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/robert-mueller-11191_fbi_the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-i_852468.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The FBI's principal priority right now is protecting the United States against another terrorist attack.” — Robert Mueller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert Mueller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The FBI's principal priority right now...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-is-protecting-the-united/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-is-protecting-the-united/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```