US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Kashyap Patel, a longtime ally and fierce critic of the FBI, to serve as the agency’s next director.
Patel, an attorney with experience in national security, intelligence, and counterterrorism, has been a vocal advocate for Trump’s “America First” agenda.
According to Trump’s announcement on Truth Social, Patel is a “brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter” who has spent his career exposing corruption and defending justice. Patel’s appointment is seen as a move by Trump to reshape the FBI in his image and rid the agency of perceived “deep state” elements.
Patel has been a harsh critic of the FBI, calling for dramatic reductions in the agency’s authority and advocating for the eradication of “government tyranny” within the bureau.
His past proposals have included firing top FBI officials and limiting the agency’s investigative powers.
The nomination of Patel, who has also been a member of Trump’s transition team, is subject to confirmation by the US Senate. If confirmed, Patel would replace current FBI Director Christopher Wray, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 but fell out of favor with the president-elect over the agency’s handling of several high-profile investigations.
In addition to Patel’s nomination, Trump also announced plans to nominate Chad Chronister, sheriff of Florida’s Hillsborough County, as head of the Drug Enforcement Agency, and Charles Kushner, a real-estate developer and the father of Jared Kushner, as ambassador to France. All three nominations are subject to Senate confirmation.
