What We Know About Trump's Pick To Lead The FBI, Kash Patel

President Donald Trump's cabinet nominations have sparked intense debates among voters, with picks like Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. coming under fire for his disturbing past and eccentric behavior. The same is true of Kash Patel as the prospective Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Patel's nomination is being heavily scrutinized due to his own controversial viewpoints and close association with Trump. But what do we really know about Patel?

Kashyap "Kash" Patel, was born in 1980 to Indian immigrant parents in New York. After finishing college in 2005, Patel pursued a legal career. He first worked as a public defender in Florida, and later joined the U.S. Department of Justice in 2013. In 2018, he began working for Representative Devin Nunes, another Trump ally who was then the leading Republican on the House Intelligence Committee. Patel played a major role in Nunes' attempts to push back against the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia. According to a December 2024 Time article, it was Patel's work during that investigation that secured his spot in the first Trump administration.

Patel has become known as an outspoken critic of the bureau, claiming, "The FBI is now the prime functionary of the Deep State," in his book "Government Gangsters." He added, "The politicized leadership at the very top has turned it into a tool of surveillance and suppression of American citizens."

President Donald Trump's FBI Director pick has been a controversial figure for many voters. While his public service dates back to the early 2000's, he's often made headlines for his claim that a deep state was operating in opposition to Trump during his first term as president. But Patel, who could very well be obsessed with Trump, also endeared himself to the president in several other ways.

In 2022, Patel released the first in a trilogy of children's books called "The Plot Against the King," a fairy tale about Trump's issues with the federal government. Patel even included a character called "Kash the Distinguished Discoverer." He's also promoted a supposed Covid-19 reversal supplement on his Truth Social account, which contained common ingredients like vitamin D and zinc.

But perhaps the biggest point of contention for Patel's critics is his alleged enemies list. Such a list would undoubtedly call his motives into question if he were to be confirmed for the role of FBI Director. It was a point that became evident during Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi's confirmation hearing in January of 2025. Bondi denied that Patel had such a list, and went on to elaborate about her specific role, saying, "There will never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice" (via YouTube).