Kash Patel starts tenure with a warning to America’s enemies
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel began his historic tenure on Thursday as the first Indian American to lead the premier investigative agency with a strong warning to America’s enemies: “We will hunt you down in every corner of this planet.”
Patel took over as the ninth director of the agency, succeeding Christopher Wray, for a stated tenure of 10 years. However, his immediate predecessors both left office prematurely—Wray resigned after Trump’s election, two years short of his term, and James Comey was fired by Trump in 2017 after serving just four years.
Patel is also the first FBI director of Asian descent.
The Republican-led US Senate confirmed Patel in a narrow 51-49 vote. Two Republican Senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, joined all Democrats in opposing Trump’s nominee.
Despite their objections, Patel secured the position. Some Democrats voiced strong concerns, with one senator warning at a press conference outside FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., that Patel “will cause evil in this building behind us.”
In his first statement on X (formerly Twitter), under the handle “FBI Director Kash Patel,” he wrote:
“I am honored to be confirmed as the ninth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The FBI has a storied legacy—from the ‘G-Men’ to safeguarding our nation in the wake of 9/11. The American people deserve an FBI that is transparent, accountable, and committed to justice. The politicization of our justice system has eroded public trust—but that ends today.
My mission as Director is clear: let good cops be cops—and rebuild trust in the FBI.
Working alongside the dedicated men and women of the Bureau and our partners, we will rebuild an FBI the American people can be proud of.
And to those who seek to harm Americans—consider this your warning. We will hunt you down in every corner of this planet.
Mission First. America Always. Let’s get to work.”
Senator Susan Collins, who voted against Patel, explained her opposition in a statement, saying that Patel “has made numerous politically charged statements in his book and elsewhere, discrediting the work of the FBI—the very institution he has been nominated to lead.” She expressed concerns over his ability to maintain the agency’s law enforcement mission “in a way that is free from the appearance of political motivation.”
Patel’s nomination was among Trump’s most controversial picks in his second term, alongside Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. While some Republicans had initial concerns, most ultimately supported Patel’s appointment.
A former public defender, Patel has risen rapidly within Washington’s power circles in recent years, serving as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense and Deputy Director of National Intelligence during Trump’s first term.
