A new investigative report has levelled serious allegations against FBI Director Kash Patel, painting a picture of chaotic leadership and poor judgment, particularly in the aftermath of the assassination of his friend, right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk.
The Utah Airport Incident: A Jacket Halts Investigation
The damning report, compiled over six months with inputs from former FBI agents, details an incident soon after Kirk's killing. When Director Patel flew to Salt Lake City, Utah, he reportedly refused to disembark from the FBI jet because he did not have his official FBI raid jacket with him. This demand forced special agents working on the Kirk case to pause their investigation and scramble to find a spare jacket that would fit him.
A medium-sized jacket belonging to a female agent was eventually brought to the plane. However, Patel was still not satisfied. He complained that two areas on the upper sleeves lacked the required Velcro patches. The report claims Patel would not leave the aircraft “until he had two patches to cover those areas.” In a bizarre resolution, members of an FBI SWAT team had to remove patches from their own uniforms and rush them to the airport. Only after these patches were attached to the loaner jacket did Patel finally step off the plane.
A Report Card of Failures and Internal Anger
The 115-page document, set to be presented to the House and Senate Judiciary Committee this week, goes beyond this single episode. It states that Patel was unhappy with the investigation's progress and yelled at Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Bohls. This outburst was severe enough that Patel's own deputy, Dan Bongino, later had to apologize to Bohls on his boss's behalf.
The authors of the report insisted they never intended it to be a "hit piece," but anecdotes from current FBI personnel inevitably turned its tone negative. The report concludes that Patel is "in over his head" and describes Deputy Director Bongino as "something of a clown." In a blistering summary, it labels the FBI under this leadership as a rudderless ship and uses crude language to describe the agency's state.
Political Fallout and Controversial Standing
Despite the scathing assessment, President Donald Trump has publicly dismissed rumors of Patel's dismissal, asserting that the director has been "working great." However, Patel has managed to anger a segment of the MAGA base. This rift stems from a lawsuit filed by his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, against right-wing podcasters. They had alleged she was an Israeli "honeypot" who compromised the FBI director, claims Wilkins is challenging in court.
This new report adds to the existing controversies surrounding Patel's tenure. It presents a significant challenge as it heads to Capitol Hill, promising further scrutiny on the leadership of one of America's most critical federal agencies.
