In a memo on Sunday evening, the FBI Agents Association told its 14,000 members that new director Kash Patel had assured them that he would follow tradition and name a career special agent with operational expertise as his deputy director.

WASHINGTON—Late Sunday, a group representing thousands of FBI agents told its members it was optimistic about the agency’s future, in part because its new director, Kash Patel, had assured the group he would choose a deputy from among their ranks.

President Donald Trump announced Sunday night that Kash Patel had tapped Dan Bongino to be second-in-command at the FBI, after the Senate confirmed Patel as the bureau’s new director last week.