{"id":3106,"date":"2024-12-01T11:20:45","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T11:20:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/trump-picks-loyalist-kash-patel-for-fbi-director\/"},"modified":"2024-12-01T11:20:45","modified_gmt":"2024-12-01T11:20:45","slug":"trump-picks-loyalist-kash-patel-for-fbi-director","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/trump-picks-loyalist-kash-patel-for-fbi-director\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump picks loyalist Kash Patel for FBI director"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kash Patel speaks at a rally in Minden, Nev., in 2022. <\/span>Justin Sullivan \/ Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n
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President-elect Donald Trump has picked MAGA loyalist Kash Patel<\/a> as FBI director, signaling his intention to overhaul the intelligence agency he has long criticized. Patel is expected to face an uphill battle<\/a> for Senate confirmation.<\/p>\n

“Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People,” Trump said in a statement<\/a> on Saturday evening. “He played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution.”<\/p>\n

Patel is known as a diehard Trump loyalist who has echoed the president-elect’s grievances — and threats — against the intelligence community. During Trump’s first term, Patel served on the National Security Council and as chief of staff to the acting defense secretary.<\/p>\n

Patel had a remarkable rise under the first Trump administration<\/a>going from a Capitol Hill staffer to a major player in Trump’s clashes with national intelligence and law enforcement agencies. He has called for a “comprehensive housecleaning” at the Justice Department and the FBI in his memoir, including prosecuting officials who “in any way abused their authority for political ends.” (Trump has called Patel’s book<\/a> — titled “Government Gangsters” — a “roadmap to end the Deep State’s reign.”)<\/p>\n

Patel has threatened to crack down on Trump’s political rivals<\/a> and “conspirators” in the government and the media<\/a>and he also has parroted Trump’s baseless claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.<\/p>\n

Patel had been floated for a variety of national security roles in a second Trump administration. He is expected to face a rocky road to confirmation as FBI director.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Clarissa-Jan Lim<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking\/trending news blogger for BLN Digital. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n