Who is Indian-American Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to run FBI?
Patel shares Trump’s scepticism of government institutions, particularly the FBI
Dubai: Donald Trump has chosen Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel, a staunch critic of the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), to be its Director, underscoring his commitment to reshaping the federal law enforcement agency.
Patel, 44, a former Chief of Staff at the Department of Defence in Trump’s first term, has been a steadfast supporter of the incoming president.
He shares Trump’s scepticism of government institutions, particularly the FBI, and has long criticised the agency’s investigations into Trump’s 2016 campaign. “Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption and defending justice,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Patel has been vocal about firing top FBI officials to limit the agency’s authority, which he has called a “deep state” threat.
Patel rose to prominence within Trump’s orbit in 2018, when he served as an aide to Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee at the time.
Patel played a key role in Nunes’ efforts to discredit the FBI’s Russia investigation into the Trump campaign, including a controversial classified memo that alleged FBI abuses of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants on Trump advisers, according to CNN.
He earned his law degree and began his career as a public defender in Florida before joining the Department of Justice (DOJ) as a prosecutor handling high-profile international terrorism cases across East Africa and the US.
Patel’s career took a turn when he joined the Department of Defence as a civilian lawyer, working with Special Operations Command on global counterterrorism efforts. His work caught the attention of Congressman Devin Nunes, who recruited him as senior counsel for counterterrorism on the House Intelligence Committee.
RISE TO PROMINENCE
Patel became prominent in 2018 as an aide to Nunes during efforts to discredit the FBI’s Russia investigation. He played a key role in crafting a controversial classified memo that alleged FBI abuses in its surveillance of Trump’s campaign.
In Government Gangsters, Patel lambasts the FBI, the DOJ, and others he sees as part of the “deep state,” calling it “the most dangerous threat to our democracy.”
Trump has praised Patel’s book as a “blueprint to take back the White House.”
KEY ROLES
Chief of Staff to Acting Secretary of Defence: Patel led the Department of Defence’s mission, oversaw the executive staff, and advised the Secretary on all departmental matters.
Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council (NSC): Patel oversaw major counterterrorism operations, including the elimination of Daesh (ISIS) and Al Qaida leaders, as well as the repatriation of American hostages.
Principal Deputy to the Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI): He managed the operations of all 17 intelligence agencies and provided the President’s daily briefing.
National Security Adviser & Senior Counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI): Patel led the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and worked on securing budgets for counterterrorism and intelligence operations.
LEGAL CAREER
Terrorism Prosecutor at the DOJ: Patel prosecuted terrorists linked to Al Qaida and Daesh and served as the DOJ Liaison Officer to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).
Public defender: Patel handled complex criminal cases in state and federal courts, including murder and financial crimes.
EDUCATION & PERSONAL LIFE
Patel earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond and his law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York, along with a Certificate in International Law from University College London.
A lifelong ice hockey player and fan, Patel is passionate about the sport.
He was previously married to Ritika, an Indian-American, but the two divorced in 2014 after three years of marriage. Patel reportedly paid a $2 million lump sum in a divorce settlement, avoiding annual alimony payments.
Government tyranny
In his memoir, Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy, Patel argues for dismantling “government tyranny” within the FBI. Patel would replace Christopher Wray, whom Trump appointed in 2017, but who fell out of favour after assisting with a federal probe into Trump’s handling of classified records. Wray has three years remaining in his 10-year term and would have to resign or be fired to create a vacancy.
In the 2023 book, Patel lambasted “crazed partisans” for hijacking “the law enforcement apparatus” against Trump.
Patel’s book heavily criticises what he refers to as “the deep state” — an amorphous term he says includes elected leaders, journalists, Big Tech tycoons and “members of the unelected bureaucracy” — calling it “the most dangerous threat to our democracy.”
Patel in his book also calls for “a comprehensive housecleaning” of the Justice Department, arguing it has protected high-ranking members of the Democratic Party, failed to prosecute individuals who leaked information during the first Trump administration, and unjustly targeted Republicans and their allies.
Patel’s favours sweeping reforms
Trump has praised the book as a “blueprint to take back the White House and remove these Gangsters from all of Government,” according to promotional endorsements of the book.
Patel would replace Christopher Wray, whom Trump appointed in 2017, but who fell out of favour after assisting with a federal probe into Trump’s handling of classified records. Wray has three years remaining in his 10-year term and would have to resign or be fired to create a vacancy.
Earlier, Kash Patel was rumoured to be a contender for the head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), but Trump ultimately chose his close ally, John Ratcliffe, for the role.
Patel has long advocated for sweeping reforms within the FBI, including reducing its authority and removing senior leadership, which he has described as embodying “government tyranny.”
If confirmed by the Republican-dominated US Senate, Patel is expected to bring his reformist approach to the FBI. In a recent interview on The Shawn Ryan Show, Patel outlined his vision for the bureau, proposing to sever the FBI’s intelligence-gathering operations from its other functions.
He even suggested shutting down the FBI’s headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., and reopening it as a “museum of the deep state.”
Patel added that he would disperse the FBI’s 7,000 employees across the country to focus on criminal investigations. In response to Patel’s appointment, the FBI issued a statement underscoring its ongoing mission. “Every day, the men and women of the FBI continue to protect Americans from a growing array of threats,” the agency said. “Director Wray’s focus remains on the people we serve and the mission we uphold.”