The president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, expressed his desire to appoint former National Security official and fervent loyalist Kash Patel as the leader of the FBI, indicating an intention to oust the bureau’s current director, Christopher Wray.
Mr. Patel, who served as an advisor to both the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense during Mr. Trump’s first term, has previously advocated for removing the FBI’s intelligence-gathering responsibilities and for dismissing any employee who does not align with Mr. Trump’s agenda.
“The biggest problem the FBI has faced has originated from its intelligence divisions. I would separate that aspect entirely. On my first day, I would close the FBI Hoover building and reopen it the next day as a museum dedicated to the deep state,” Mr. Patel stated in a September interview on the conservative Shawn Ryan Show.
“I would take the 7,000 employees currently in that building and distribute them across America to pursue criminals. Go out and be cops. You’re law enforcement—go act like it,” he continued.
By law, FBI directors are appointed for 10-year terms to shield the bureau from political influence.
Mr. Wray, whom Mr. Trump appointed after dismissing James Comey in 2017 due to his investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign, has frequently been a target of criticism from Mr. Trump’s supporters.
During Mr. Wray’s leadership, the FBI executed a court-sanctioned search at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate for classified documents, and he has also faced backlash for his management of Attorney General Merrick Garland’s directive aimed at protecting local school boards from violent threats and harassment.
Special Counsel Jack Smith, who oversaw two federal prosecutions against Mr. Trump related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his retention of classified documents, requested on November 25 that the judges in those cases dismiss them before Mr. Trump assumes office again on January 20, citing a Justice Department policy against prosecuting sitting presidents.
Mr. Wray had previously indicated that he did not plan to resign early and was actively organizing events extending into his 2025 calendar, as noted by a source familiar with the situation.
Mr. Patel, 44, who has a background as both a federal public defender and a federal prosecutor, became a contentious figure during Mr. Trump’s first presidential term.
He played a key role in guiding House Republicans’ investigation into the FBI’s 2016 inquiry regarding interactions between Mr. Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia while serving as an aide to former Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Devin Nunes.
During Mr. Trump’s first impeachment trial, former National Security Council official Fiona Hill informed House investigators of her concerns that Mr. Patel was acting as an unauthorized back channel between Mr. Trump and Ukraine.
Mr. Patel has denied these claims.
After Mr. Trump vacated the presidency in January 2021, Mr. Patel was designated by Trump as a representative for access to his presidential records. He was among the few ex-Trump administration officials who asserted, without evidence, that Mr. Trump had declassified all pertinent records. He was later subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in connection with the investigation.
As a private citizen, Mr. Patel authored a book titled “Government Gangsters,” which Mr. Trump in 2023 stated would serve as a “blueprint to dismantle the Deep State’s control.”
Mr. Patel’s nomination is expected to face opposition from Senate Democrats and potentially some Republicans, although he has received support from high-profile Republicans such as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
