Despite all the odds and heavy criticism from the opposition, US President Donald Trump’s pick, Kashyap “Kash” Patel, has been confirmed as the new Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Patel, known to be an ardent ally of President Donald Trump, was confirmed by the US Senate in a 51-49 vote, with two moderate Republicans, Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joining all Democrats in opposition.
The confirmation places Patel at the pinnacle position in the FBI especially at a time of considerable changes within the Justice Department, as Trump-backed officials move expeditiously to reform its priorities.
Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader, has announced that he will not be seeking re-election in 2026. He voted in favour of Patel’s nomination. This move seemed unexpected to many, since McConnell had previously opposed three of Trump’s top picks. McConnell was against having Pete Hegseth as the Defense Secretary, Tulsi Gabbard as the director of National Intelligence, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. As the head of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Patel’s will be taking over the role from FBI Director Christopher Wray, who announced he would be stepping down before Trump, who first appointed him to the role in 2017. Wray still had three years left in his 10-year term, but resigned after the President stated his intent to fire him, likely due to his dislike of the FBI’s investigation into whether there was a plan to overturn the 2020 election.
During Thursday’s hearing, Patel said that the biggest threat to the U.S. would be to curb terrorism and Chinese Communist Party espionage.
