Trump Announces Loyalist Kash Patel as Choice to Lead FBI
AFP/APP
Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday his intention to appoint loyalist Kash Patel as the next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), replacing the agency’s current leader.
Trump revealed his choice on his Truth Social network, naming the former advisor and Pentagon official, known for his critical stance on the FBI and controversial views about a so-called government “deep state,” as his preferred candidate.
The FBI’s current director, Christopher Wray, was appointed in 2017 to a 10-year term. For Patel to take over, Wray would need to resign or be removed. Wray, originally appointed by Trump, oversaw investigations into the incoming president, which have been a source of contention for Trump.
“Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
A staunch Trump supporter, Patel has embraced the notion of an anti-Trump “deep state” within the government bureaucracy, which he accuses of undermining Trump’s agenda. Patel has served in prominent roles, including national security advisor and chief of staff to the acting defense secretary during Trump’s first term.
“Kash did an incredible job during my First Term,” Trump said, adding that Patel would prioritize addressing crime, dismantling migrant criminal gangs, and combating human and drug trafficking.
Appointment of Allies
Wray was appointed FBI director by Trump in 2017, succeeding an acting director after Trump fired James Comey. Comey’s dismissal followed his handling of an FBI investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia, which had frustrated Trump.
The FBI, under Wray’s leadership, later investigated Trump, including a high-profile search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022 for illegally retained classified documents. Trump has been vocal in his criticism of the bureau’s investigations, particularly its inquiries into his supporters involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
In a related announcement, Trump nominated Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff, as the new administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
“Chad will work with our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to secure the Border, stop the flow of Fentanyl and other Illegal Drugs, across the Southern Border, and SAVE LIVES,” Trump stated on Truth Social.
Bondi, a close Trump ally and former Florida attorney general, is Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Justice.
The FBI, as the investigative arm of the Department of Justice, and the DEA fall under its jurisdiction. These appointments suggest Trump’s strategy of aligning his administration with loyal appointees who share his policy goals and vision.
