The U.S. Senate has confirmed former federal prosecutor Kash Patel as the new Director of the FBI, marking another win for President Donald Trump’s nominees. The Senate approved Patel in a close 51-49 vote.
Two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined all Democrats opposing his nomination.
Patel will serve a 10-year term as director of the FBI, which is recognized as one of the world’s top criminal investigative agencies.
Democrats expressed concerns that Patel might use his position to go after Trump’s political opponents, though Patel denied any intentions of pursuing political revenge.
During his confirmation hearings, the 44-year-old also rejected claims that he had compiled a list of so-called “deep state” adversaries. He further dismissed his earlier controversial comments, including labelling law enforcement officials involved in Trump investigations as “criminal gangsters.”
Rebuilding Trust in the FBI
After the vote, Kash Patel shared his reaction to X, saying, “I am honoured to be confirmed as the ninth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. My mission as Director is clear: let good cops be cops – and rebuild trust in the FBI.”
Patel takes over an agency that is facing internal challenges. The Justice Department recently removed several senior FBI officials and demanded the names of agents involved in investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack by Trump supporters.
His confirmation was celebrated at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, where Florida Senator Rick Scott asked the audience, “What do you think about Kash Patel?”
The crowd responded with loud applause. Many Republicans view Patel as someone who will reform the FBI, which they and Trump claim has unfairly targeted conservatives.
Democrats, however, have a starkly different view. They describe Kash Patel as a far-right figure lacking significant law enforcement experience and accuse him of prioritizing loyalty to Trump over the agency’s independence.
Senator Martin Heinrich took to X to voice his concerns, writing, “[Patel’s] poor judgment and lack of experience make him wholly unqualified to keep Americans safe as our FBI Director. I voted no.”
Patel replaces Christopher Wray, who was appointed by Trump in 2017. Wray resigned last month before the new Republican president’s inauguration after it became clear he would likely be fired.
