Donald Trump is looking to install one of his fiercest loyalists at the helm of the FBI. The president-elect announced his nomination of Kash Patel in a Truth Social post on Saturday.
“Kash is 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,” he wrote. “Kash will work under our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to bring back Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity to the FBI.”
Like many of Trump’s appointees, Patel has shown a passion for dismantling the administrative state. Patel has advocated for closing the bureau’s Washington, D.C. headquarters and cleaning house with widespread layoffs of the agency’s leadership.
The staunch supporter of Trump has also threatened criminal investigations into the debunked claims that the presidential election was rigged for Joe Biden in 2020.
”We’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections,” Patel told Steve Bannon earlier this year. “We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly. We’ll figure that out. But yeah, we’re putting you all on notice.”
Christopher Wray, the current director of the FBI, has shown no intention of resigning. A long-standing procedure has staggered the 10-year terms of directors to overlap with multiple administrations. However, the director serves at the discretion of the president, and Wray could easily be forced out by Trump, the man who appointed him in 2017.
“Director Wray’s focus remains on the men and women of the FBI, the people we do the work with and the people we do the work for,” the bureau shared in a statement following the news of Patel’s nomination.