Updated September 16, 2025 at 5:41 PM EDT
In a combative hearing Tuesday on Capitol Hill, FBI Director Kash Patel defended his leadership of the bureau, pushing back against allegations from Democrats that he is hollowing out the nation's premier law enforcement agency and pursuing President Trump's promised campaign of retribution.
Patel's appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled weeks ago, but it comes just days after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and growing questions about Patel's ability to lead the bureau through high-pressure moments.
The more than four-hour hearing frequently devolved into fiery outbursts from lawmakers and the FBI director. Democrats pressed Patel on a range of issues, including his firing of senior FBI officials and his handling of the investigative files of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Republicans, meanwhile, defended the director and his leadership and made sweeping allegations against the political left in America of conducting a campaign of violence.
In his opening statement, Patel defended his tenure.
"I'm not going anywhere," he said. "If you want to criticize my 16 years of service, please bring it on."
In recent days, he has received pushback for his social media posts and actions during the manhunt for the shooter who killed Kirk. He's also been sued by three former senior FBI officials who allege that he fired them for political reasons.
While Republican lawmakers largely praised Patel's work, Democrats were quick to highlight what they see as recent missteps as examples of why they say that he is unfit to lead the FBI.
Sen. Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the committee, argued that with Patel at the helm, "the result of that incompetence is staggering."
"The men and women who serve at the FBI and the American people deserve a director who has the ability and the character to restore the bureau to its place as the preeminent law enforcement agency," he added.
Patel, who was confirmed as FBI director in February by a 51-49 vote, appears to enjoy — at least for now — the backing of Trump, who over the weekend expressed support for him.
"I am very proud of the FBI," Trump told Fox News, referring to the capture of the suspected Kirk gunman. "Kash — and everyone else — they have done a great job."
The FBI and Utah law enforcement took the suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, into custody on Thursday night after his family contacted authorities. The arrest took place roughly 33 hours after Kirk's shooting — a fact that Patel has trumpeted in his public remarks.
Political violence
In the wake of Kirk's assassination, Republicans on the panel spent their allotted time speculating on the potential motivation behind the attack and making broad claims that left-leaning forces are to blame for a culture of political violence.
"The vast majority of Americans are against political violence, but there is a vocal, active minority that encourages and celebrates it, and that minority is overwhelmingly on the left," said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.
Schmitt went on to reference a recent YouGov poll conducted last week that found that among individuals who identify as very liberal, a quarter said that political violence can sometimes be justified, compared to just 3% of those who say they are very conservative. However, majorities across the ideological spectrum disagreed and said it was never justified.
"We are lying if we think that this is a both sides thing, it's not," he said.
Democrats have also been the subject of political violence, including in recent months. Notably, in June, Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her spouse were murdered in their own home by a man who authorities said had been targeting a list of 45 Democratic elected officials.
Senate Democrats pushed back on the characterization by GOP lawmakers that the root cause stems from the left.
"Democrats are not responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk, and Republicans are not responsible for the murder of Melissa Hortman," said Durbin. "Our political opponents are not our enemies."
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., also highlighted that he's observed some right-wing media personalities use violent rhetoric in response to Kirk's death, referencing statements from Alex Jones and Steve Bannon claiming to be "at war."
"There are people out here on our side of the aisle that still need to look in the mirror. Even if you agree that it's a lower number, bad is bad," he said.
Scrutiny of social media posts
During the hearing, lawmakers criticized Patel's handling of the investigation into Kirk's death, particularly his social media posts early on in the probe.
Just hours after Kirk had been shot and killed last Wednesday, Patel had posted on X that "the subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody." Roughly 90 minutes later, he reversed course in a second post, saying "the subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency."
In an exchange with Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., Patel said he didn't see that reversal as a mistake.
"Could I have been more careful in my verbiage and included an 'a subject' instead of 'subject'? Sure, in the heat of the moment," he said. "But I was doing the best I could."
However, former FBI officials say this is not the way social media platforms are typically used by law enforcement professionals.
"There is a process, and information is always sketchy in the beginning. You take your time, collect the evidence, whatever facts you have, conduct interviews, then see where it will lead. You don't rush out and say the person of interest is the person who did the shooting," said Stephen Laycock, a retired former senior FBI agent.
"You typically send out social media notes to help gather information about an investigation. When the investigation leads to having someone in custody who has been identified through the investigative process, and it is a multi-agency effort, you let the unified command put the messaging out together," he said, meaning the various law enforcement agencies conducting the investigation put the information out together.
Lawsuit from senior FBI officials
Kirk's killing put a spotlight on Patel's leadership at the bureau, the same day that three former senior FBI officials sued him.
Their lawsuit contains details of their interactions with Patel and his deputy, former U.S. Secret Service agent-turned-conservative commentator Dan Bongino. It describes the leadership at the bureau and the Justice Department as partisan and inept, scrambling to stay in the White House's good graces and willing to fire anyone who crossed the president.
Patel vowed at his confirmation hearing that no one at the FBI would be fired for political reasons. But once in the job, the lawsuit says, Patel opted to follow marching orders from the White House instead of federal law.
Throughout the hours-long hearing on Tuesday, Democratic lawmakers repeatedly brought up the lawsuit.
"I believe you have made our country weaker and less safe," said Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. "You've gutted the bureau of institutional knowledge and expertise. You've fired or pushed out seasoned FBI officials, many with more than 20 years of experience."
Booker went on to say that in the months since Patel took the job, he has "assaulted the institutional integrity of the FBI."
"As much as you supplicate yourself to the will of Donald Trump and not the Constitution of the United States of America, Donald Trump has shown us in his first term and in this term, he is not loyal to people like you," he added. "He will cut you loose. This may be the last time I have a hearing with you because I don't think you're long for your job."
"That rant of false information does not bring this country together," Patel said before the two erupted into a shouting match over allotted time.
Patel was also pressed by lawmakers on the FBI's handling of the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, and insisted there is "no credible information" that Epstein trafficked young women to anyone but himself. The FBI has been complying with subpoena requests for files by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Patel said the FBI would "release whatever we are legally permitted" to make public.
"I strongly encourage you to do that, Kash," said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. "This issue is not going to go away."
The issue has dogged the Trump administration since the summer, when it faced pressure from supporters to release more files.
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