Donald Trump’s decision to choose Kash Patel to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) set off alarm bells in Washington because of Patel’s penchant for conspiracy theories and limited experience in leadership and law enforcement.
An ardent supporter of President-elect Kashyap “Kash” Patel, a one-time federal prosecutor and former federal prosecutor, has been appointed to replace Christopher Wray as head of the FBI.
Here are five things to know about the 44-year-old, who has signaled he wants to help Trump get revenge on his political opponents.
trump cheerleader
As with Trump’s other Cabinet nominees, Patel’s loyalty to the president-elect appears to have been key to securing the position. At Trump’s criminal trial in New York, Patel was among the supporters who accompanied him to court and told reporters the soon-to-be convicted felon was the victim of an “unconstitutional circus.”
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Patel’s breakthrough in Trump’s world coincided with his work to discredit the FBI’s investigation into potential links between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Patel, the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and an aide to Trump ally Devin Nunes, helped write a report detailing mistakes the Justice Department made in obtaining warrants to pursue former Trump campaign advisers.
Patel also held several positions in Trump’s first administration, including advisor to the National Security Council and chief of staff to the acting secretary of defense.
Patel maintained a close relationship with Trump even after he left office in January 2021. Patel also received a subpoena to appear before a grand jury in connection with the Justice Department’s investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents.
‘Mid-level’ public defender
Patel said he worked as a public defender in Florida for about nine years. A New York Times article quoted colleagues who recalled him as “a middling performer with a deep resentment of the Justice Department prosecutors he faced.”
He went on to work as a terrorism prosecutor at the Justice Department, and has repeatedly claimed to be the “lead prosecutor” as the government pursued the perpetrators of the 2012 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya, that left four Americans dead. . According to another New York Times article, Patel was a junior employee at the time.
Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe warned that Patel was out of his depth due to his lack of management and law enforcement experience. “The fact that Kash Patel is completely unqualified for this job is not even in dispute,” McCabe said on CNN on Saturday.
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Media promise: ‘We will come after you’
Patel’s notoriety stems in part from a series of brazen claims he made in interviews with right-wing media outlets.
Patel has said he wants to shake up the FBI by cracking down on information leaked to the media and overhauling its intelligence-gathering operations, and has even pledged to close the FBI’s Washington, D.C. headquarters on day one and replace it with a museum dedicated to “deep dive.” “State” is MAGA local jargon for government bureaucracy.
Trump promised ‘revenge’ upon his return to the White House, and Patel appears to have taken that pledge to heart. In a 2023 interview with Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon, Patel noted that the FBI has “all American patriots” before issuing an ominous warning.
“We will find conspirators not only in government but also in the media,” he said. “Yes, we will go after journalists who lied about American citizens who helped Joe Biden rig the election.”
“We will come after you.” Patel continued. “Whether it is criminal or civil, we will resolve it. But yes, we will notify you all.”
His book clearly states its goals.
Patel’s obsession with the “deep state” and conspiracy theories is most evident in his writing.
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In his 2023 book, “Government Gangsters,” Patel notes a “comprehensive cleanup” of the Justice Department, even targeting government officials and former officials, including many members of the first Trump administration as well as Attorney General Merrick Garland. I put them on the blacklist.
Patel is also the author of a children’s book called “The Plot Against the King,” which refers to Trump as “King Donald.” Cash himself plays a barely disguised wizard who foils Hillary Clinton’s plans.
Selling “K$H” branded merchandise
Like Trump, whose merchandise includes a $100,000 watch and a $10,000 guitar, Patel understands the power of branding. Shortly after President Trump left office, Patel launched Fight with Kash, an organization that funds defamation lawsuits and sells socks and other clothing emblazoned with the “K$H” logo.
