Kash Patel, US President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, said that he has been subjected to racism while growing up as an individual and avoided directly answering whether he would investigate officials on a public list of his perceived enemies. During his confirmation hearing on Thursday, he tried to address concerns about his qualifications and loyalty to Trump.
Patel, a former prosecutor, faced strong criticism during his five-hour hearing.
His nomination breaks with the tradition of choosing FBI directors with nonpartisan backgrounds and law enforcement experience. If confirmed, Patel could give Trump direct influence over the FBI, raising concerns about political interference.
Here are key takeaways from Kash Patel’s confirmation hearing:
‘Unfortunately, yes’: Kash on whether he was subject to racism
Kash Patel, an Indian-American, shared that he experienced racism growing up. Responding to Senator Lindsey Graham’s question about whether he had ever faced racial discrimination, Patel, 44, confirmed it but did not wish to delve into the details. “Unfortunately, Senator, yes. I don’t want to get into those details with my family here,” he said.
Patel mentioned a specific instance related to his testimony before the January 6th committee, where he was subjected to a severe threat on his life after his personal information was released by Congress. “I had to relocate due to the threat,” he explained.
He recounted receiving hateful messages, including being called derogatory slurs and told to return to his home country, with accusations linking him to terrorism. “If you look at the record from January 6th, where I testified before that committee, because of my personal information being released by the Congress, I was subjected to a direct and significant threat on my life. And I put that information in the record. I had to move,” he said.
“I was called a detestable — and I’ll apologise if I don’t get it all right, but it’s in the record — a detestable sand nigger who had no right being in this country. You should go back to where you came from. You belong with your terrorist home friends. That’s what was sent to me. That’s just the piece of it, but that’s nothing compared to what the men and women in law enforcement face every day,” Patel said.
Patel on absolute loyalty to Trump and the rule of law
Throughout the hearing, Democrats accused Patel of prioritizing his loyalty to Trump over the rule of law. Patel denied the charge.
Patel said he did not support violence against law enforcement, even when asked about Trump’s decision to pardon those convicted in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. He said, “there can never be a tolerance for violence against law enforcement.”
When Senator Mazie Hirono asked if he would investigate former FBI director James Comey and others he has publicly criticized, Patel said he would only investigate individuals who appeared to have committed crimes.
Asked if he planned to investigate former FBI director Christopher Wray, who stepped down after Trump said he would fire him, Patel said he would not focus on past cases. Patel has previously criticized the FBI’s investigations into Trump.
Senator Cory Booker asked Patel, “Will you lie for the president of the United States? Will you lie for Donald Trump?”
“No,” Patel responded.
Patel questioned on support for Capitol rioters
Patel was also questioned about his previous support for individuals involved in the January 6 attack. He had helped promote a song recorded by some of the rioters in prison, including those convicted of attacking police officers.
Patel sought to distance himself from the song.
“I did not know about the violent offenders. And I did not participate in any of the violence in and around January 6,” Patel said.
Senator Dick Durbin asked, “Was President Donald Trump wrong to give blanket clemency to the January 6 defendants?”
Patel responded, “I have always rejected any violence against law enforcement, including in that group, any violence against law enforcement on January 6.”
At several points, Patel declined to criticize Trump’s pardon of rioters who assaulted officers.
No ‘enemies list’
Kash Patel told Democrats during his confirmation hearing on Thursday that he did not have an “enemies list” and that the FBI under his leadership would not target the president’s opponents or conduct politically motivated investigations.
“I have no interest, no desire and will not, if confirmed, go backwards,” Patel said during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, where support for his nomination was divided along party lines. “There will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken.”
Patel said that his primary objective as director would be to combat violent crime and safeguard the nation against what he termed as three major national security threats: terrorism, Chinese espionage, and Iranian aggression.
It remains uncertain whether Patel has sufficient Republican support to secure confirmation, though GOP members have expressed optimism about his chances. When he was nominated in November, Democrats anticipated that his unwavering allegiance to Trump—along with his previous provocative remarks about the FBI—would provoke significant public opposition.
However, such a backlash has not materialized. Patel’s confirmation hearing, which took place alongside the equally contentious hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, sparked intense debate. Yet, it did not seem to trigger a political firestorm that could jeopardize his nomination by eroding support within the Republican majority.