Newly appointed FBI Director Kash Patel has pledged to usher in an era of transparency and accountability within the Bureau, emphasizing a commitment to justice and vowing to pursue those who threaten American safety. Confirmed by the Senate, Patel expressed gratitude to former President Trump and former Attorney General Pam Bondi for their support.
Patel acknowledged the FBI's rich history while underscoring the need for renewed public trust. He directly addressed the issue of politicization within the justice system, promising to bring an end to it. His mission, he stated, is to empower law enforcement officers and rebuild confidence in the FBI.
Patel delivered a stern warning to those who intend harm to Americans, assuring them that the FBI will relentlessly pursue them globally. He emphasized his commitment to prioritizing the mission and serving the nation.
With a diverse background in national security and intelligence, Patel's experience includes counterterrorism operations, hostage retrieval, and strategic initiatives against foreign adversaries. He played a key role in operations against terrorist leaders and worked on implementing sanctions against hostile nations.
Before joining the Trump administration, Patel served in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and as a national security advisor and senior counsel for counterterrorism to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He also led the committee's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, exposing FISA abuse and unlawful surveillance practices by the FBI and DOJ.
Patel's investigation uncovered the surveillance abuses that prompted the appointment of Special Counsels Robert Mueller and John Durham. Mueller's investigation found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, while Durham concluded that the FBI's initial investigation lacked proper legal basis.
As chief investigator for the House Intelligence Committee, Patel revealed the FBI's reliance on the Steele Dossier, funded by Democrats, to obtain FISA warrants against former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. The investigation also exposed the FBI's omission of the dossier's origins and funding by the Clinton campaign.
Patel's work also involved exposing the DOJ's secret acquisition of his personal email and phone data during the investigation into FBI abuse. Durham's subsequent report confirmed the FBI's failure to uphold the law in its initial Trump-Russia probe and its disregard of a warning about Clinton's campaign attempting to manipulate law enforcement.
A lawyer with experience as a public defender and national security prosecutor, Patel has served in the U.S. government for 16 years, culminating in his role as chief of staff at the Department of Defense before his appointment as FBI Director.
