President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday that he will nominate Kash Patel to head the FBI.
The former chief of staff to the defense secretary had previously been floated as a candidate for FBI deputy director or a high-ranking position at the Justice Department due to potential hurdles in the Senate confirmation process, Axios reported. President Trump said in a statement Saturday that Patel was “a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and 'America First' fighter.” (Related: 'Preparing for Success': Who Will Be President Trump's Key Points on National Security)
“I am proud to announce that Kashyap “Kash” Patel will be the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “He is an 'America First' fighter who has spent his career protecting the American people,” Trump wrote.
“He played a pivotal role in debunking Russia, Russia, Russia disinformation and served as a champion of truth, accountability, and the Constitution. Mr. Kash , Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director of Counterterrorism at the National Security Council. Kash also tried more than 60 jury trials to help the FBI end the growing crime epidemic in America, dismantle immigrant criminal organizations, and cross borders. It will stop the evil scourge of human and drug trafficking,” his statement continued.
Trump wrote that Patel would work for Pam Bondi, whom he had previously nominated for attorney general after removing former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz's name from the list. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is also believed to be in the running for FBI and DA posts, Axios previously reported.
“Mr. Kash has many allies who believe that putting him in the top position would be welcomed by Trump's base and that Mr. Trump is serious about major reforms to the judiciary and law enforcement. It will send a clear message that there is,” a transition source said. told Axios.
Kash Patel is a consummate professional who knows how to restore the FBI to true law and order. I am deeply impressed by his intelligence and passion for national and homeland security. I can't wait to see Kash become our nation's FBI director. https://t.co/vJ5dB9I1OA
— Katie Miller (@katierosemiller) December 1, 2024
Introducing Kash Patel, the candidate to replace Chris Wray as FBI director.
Kash: “I would close the Hoover FBI Building every day and reopen it as the Deep State Museum.”
we need this man. pic.twitter.com/23UEFO1GoE
— Juanita Broadrick (@atensnut) November 15, 2024
Patel rose to prominence during Trump's first term and was a vocal critic of Mueller's investigation into “Russian interference” during the 2016 election. The Trump appointee has also been an outspoken opponent of the weaponization of the surveillance state, recently calling for a “24/7 declassification office.”
FBI appointees also proposed occupying FBI headquarters, shutting it down, and turning it into a museum.
“I would shut down the FBI Hoover Building on the first day and reopen it as a deep state museum the next day,” he said in an interview. “And I'm going to take the 7,000 people who work in that building and send them across America to go after these criminals.”
