[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 69 (Monday, April 20, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S1835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               KASH PATEL

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, when Kash Patel was confirmed as head of 
the FBI, I said that he had neither the experience, the judgment, nor 
the temperament for the job. Fourteen months later, Director Patel has 
confirmed my worst fears about his integrity and competency.
  Director Patel has spent his tenure at the FBI weaponizing the 
world's preeminent investigative Agency to serve the political 
interests of one person--Donald Trump. Patel has fired dozens of career 
law enforcement agents simply because they were assigned to work on 
investigations related to President Trump's and his allies' misconduct. 
These firings have deprived the FBI of decades of experience at a time 
when our Nation is facing growing threats not only at home but 
overseas.
  Director Patel has timed these politicized purges to shield himself 
from allegations of misconduct. After his embarrassing actions at the 
Olympics and whistleblower disclosures to my office describing how his 
misuse of FBI aircraft has negatively impacted high-profile criminal 
investigations, Director Patel tried to save face by firing even more 
people at the FBI who worked on President Trump's mishandling of 
classified documents.
  Several of the fired agents at the FBI were part of a global 
counterintelligence squad whose responsibilities included investigating 
espionage and cyber threats from Iran. Just days before the war began, 
Director Patel deliberately undermined the FBI's ability to counter 
Iranian threats--all to distract from his own failings and 
mismanagement as Director.
  An article recently published in The Atlantic revealed that Director 
Patel's behavior has been even more erratic and irresponsible than 
previously reported. Current and former FBI officials are worried that 
Director Patel has become a national security risk due to his chronic 
absenteeism and his personal lifestyle. Those at FBI headquarters and 
field offices often find the Director absent at critical moments, 
delaying time-sensitive decisions on important investigations that 
require his approval.
  These accusations would be concerning for any government official, 
but for one of the people principally responsible for keeping America 
safe, they are downright disqualifying. Director Patel should be 
replaced immediately. Our country's safety is too important to be left 
in the hands of an unqualified and undependable individual who is loyal 
only to the President and not to the people of this Nation.

                          ____________________