After weeks of speculation, President-elect Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he's picked Kash Patel to replace Christopher Wray as the head of the FBI.
Kash Patel is no stranger to tackling big roles. He’s worked across defense, intelligence, and counterterrorism—now he might become CIA chief under Trump! What would a CIA led by Patel look like? pic.twitter.com/rP71IOTCsf
— Restricted Daily (@Restricted_on_X) November 12, 2024
According to a Saturday post to Truth Social, Trump called Patel a "brilliant lawyer, investigator, and “America First” fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People."
"He played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution," Trump continued.
Patel has been open about what kind of changes he'd pursue if given the chance. His various proposals include reducing the FBI's footprint in Washington and “dramatically” limiting its authority. He hopes to curb the power of the Justice Department's Civil Division and jettison a Pentagon office that produces classified assessments of long-term trends and risks, arguing it is just a tool of the “deep state.”
Patel has said he also intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters, and change the law to make it easier to sue journalists. During an interview with Steve Bannon in December, Patel said he and others “will go out and find the conspirators not just in government but in the media.” -AP
Patel has served as both a federal prosecutor and a public defender, and filled a number of administrative roles at the tail end of Trump's first term, including on the National Security Council and in the Pentagon.
And in a sign this is a good move - in 2021 when Trump floated Patel for deputy director of the CIA or the FBI, former AG William Barr said that would happen "over my dead body."
Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said that no part of the FBI would be "safe" with Patel in a leadership position.
MELTDOWN: The fact that disgraced Andrew McCabe is against Kash taking over the FBI shows up that Kash is EXACTLY the correct person for the job. pic.twitter.com/YbDdj9LGXP
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 1, 2024
In response, Patel told the Washington Post: "Those calling me a danger, let’s just ask them for a proof, a piece of evidence that actually shows I’ve committed any constitutional violations or any ethical quandaries, and I’d love to hear their response to this."
Current FBI Director Christopher Wray will now either have to resign or be fired, assuming Patel makes it through Senate confirmation.
And as noted above, Patel has vowed to investigate and possibly prosecute regime-puppet journalists.
"Yes, we’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections — we’re going to come after you," Patel said last year. "Whether it’s criminally or civilly, we’ll figure that out."
