What To Know About Kash Patel, 'Deep State' Conspiracy Theorist And Trump's FBI Pick

Donald Trump’s decision to pick Kash Patel to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation has set off alarm bells in Washington due to Patel’s fondness for conspiracy theories and his limited experience in leadership and law enforcement.

An ardent supporter of the president-elect, Kashyap “Kash” Patel — a lawyer who once worked as a federal prosecutor — has been tapped to replace Christopher Wray atop the FBI.

Here are five things to know about the 44-year-old, who has signaled he wants to help dish out Trump’s revenge against his political opponents.

A Trump Cheerleader

As with Trump’s other Cabinet picks, Patel’s fealty to the president-elect appears to have been key to securing the job. During Trump’s criminal trial in New York, Patel was among a group of supporters who accompanied him to the courthouse, telling reporters that the soon-to-be convicted felon was the victim of an “unconstitutional circus.”

Patel’s breakthrough in Trump world came in tandem with his work to discredit the FBI’s investigation into potential ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

As an aide to former House Intelligence Committee Chair and Trump ally Devin Nunes, Patel helped author a report that detailed what it said were errors the Justice Department made in obtaining a warrant to track a former Trump campaign adviser.

Patel also held several roles in Trump’s first administration, serving as an adviser on the National Security Council and as chief of staff to the acting secretary of defense.

Patel remained close after Trump left office in January 2021. Patel was even subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in connection with the Justice Department’s probe into Trump’s handling of classified documents. 

A ‘Middling’ Public Defender

Patel has said he worked for about nine years as a public defender in Florida. A New York Times piece cites colleagues who recalled him as a “middling performer with a deep animosity toward the Justice Department prosecutors he found himself up against.”

He went on to work as a terrorism prosecutor at the Justice Department and has repeatedly claimed he was the “lead prosecutor” in the government’s pursuit of the perpetrators of the 2012 attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans. Another New York Times article suggests Patel was a junior staff member at the time.

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe has warned that Patel is out of his depth, citing his lack of management and law enforcement experience. “The fact that Kash Patel is profoundly unqualified for this job is not even like a matter for debate,” McCabe said on Saturday on CNN.

Promises Media: ‘We’re Going To Come After You’

Patel’s notoriety stems in part from a series of brash claims he made during interviews with right-wing media.

Patel has said he wants to upend the FBI — cracking down on leaks to the media and overhauling intelligence-gathering operations — and even vowed to shut down the agency’s Washington, DC, headquarters on Day 1 to replace it as a museum for the “deep state,” the MAGA-land buzzword for government bureaucracy.

Trump has promised “retribution” on his return to the White House, and Patel appears to have taken the vow to heart. In a 2023 interview with Steve Bannon, Trump’s former adviser, Patel talked about having “all-American patriots top to bottom” in the FBI before making an ominous warning.

“We will go out and find the conspirators not just in government, but in the media,” he said. “Yes, we’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections.”

“We’re going to come after you,” Patel continued. “Whether it’s criminally or civilly, we’ll figure that out. But yeah, we’re putting you all on notice.”

His Books Name His Targets

Patel’s obsession with the “deep state” and conspiracy theories is best illustrated in his own writing.

In his 2023 book “Government Gangsters,” Patel eyes a “comprehensive housecleaning” of the Justice Department, and even lists officials and former officials on his blacklist — including Attorney General Merrick Garland, but also many members of the first Trump administration.

Patel is also the author of a children’s book called “The Plot Against the King,” which calls Trump “King Donald.” Kash himself plays a wizard who thwarts the plans of a barely disguised Hillary Clinton.

Sells “K$H” Branded Merch

Just like Trump — whose merchandise includes $100,000 watches and $10,000 guitars — Patel is no stranger to the power of branding. Shortly after Trump left office, Patel launched “Fight with Kash,” an organisation that funds defamation lawsuits and sells socks and other clothing emblazoned with the “K$H” logo.