History of Kash Patel in Timeline

Kashyap Pramod Patel, known as Kash Patel, is an American lawyer who has held significant leadership positions in federal law enforcement. He became the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2025. Prior to this role, Patel briefly served as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from February to April 2025. His career reflects a notable presence in the realms of law and federal administration.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1972: Ethnic Persecution Faced by Pramod Rameshchandra Patel

In 1972, Pramod Rameshchandra Patel, Kash Patel's father, faced ethnic persecution and was expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.

February 25, 1980: Kash Patel's Birth

On February 25, 1980, Kashyap Pramod Patel was born. He later became a lawyer and the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2025.

Others born on this day/year

2000: Mentioned in the title of a book

The number 2000 is included in the title of the book 'The Plot Against the King: 2000 Mules' written by Kash Patel and released in 2022.

2002: Graduated from the University of Richmond

In 2002, Kash Patel graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in criminal justice and history.

2003: Participated in American Bar Association program

In 2003, as a Pace student, Kash Patel participated in the American Bar Association's "Judicial Intern Opportunity Program", a diversity initiative.

2005: Started as a Public Defender

In 2005, Kash Patel began his career as a public defender in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and subsequently served as a federal public defender for the Southern District of Florida.

2005: Graduated from Pace University School of Law

In 2005, Kash Patel graduated from Pace University School of Law.

2012: Austin Tice Capture

In 2012, Austin Tice, an American journalist, was captured, leading to discussions involving Kash Patel about his potential release in August 2020.

2012: Joined Department of Justice as Junior Staff

In 2012, Kash Patel began working as a junior staff member at the Department of Justice, where he coordinated with judges to get approvals for arrest warrants. Patel also served as a board member of the South Asian Bar Association of North America.

2012: Joined Department of Justice

In 2012, Kash Patel started working as a staff member at the Department of Justice.

2012: Benghazi Attack Case Involvement

In 2012, Kash Patel temporarily represented the Criminal Division in the case against the perpetrators of the Benghazi attack, but was later removed due to disagreements with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, which led the case.

2013: Assigned to National Security Division

By 2013, Kash Patel had been assigned to the National Security Division as a prosecutor and also served as a legal liaison for the Joint Special Operations Command.

January 2014: Berated by Judge Lynn Hughes

In January 2014, at a chambers meeting about the trial of Omar Faraj Saeed al-Hardan, Judge Lynn Hughes berated Kash Patel for his unprofessional attire and dismissed him from the chambers. The meeting was about the trial of Omar Faraj Saeed al-Hardan.

2016: Investigated Ukrainian Interference Theory

In 2016, As an aide to Nunes, Kash Patel investigated the theory that Ukrainians were promulgating information about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.

2016: Response to the 2016 election

In 2016, Patel mentions that the Department of Justice's response to the 2016 presidential election was the impetus for his departure in 2017.

2016: FBI Investigation into Donald Trump's Campaign

In 2016, the FBI investigated Donald Trump's presidential campaign, which later became a topic in Kash Patel's 2023 book, Government Gangsters.

April 2017: Joined House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

In April 2017, Kash Patel began working for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, under Representative Devin Nunes.

2017: Left Department of Justice

In 2017, Kash Patel departed from the Department of Justice and became a senior aide to Devin Nunes, who was the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence at the time.

2017: Majd Kamalmaz Disappearance

In 2017, Majd Kamalmaz, a Syrian-American therapist, disappeared, leading to discussions involving Kash Patel about his potential release in August 2020.

2017: Grand Jury Subpoena

In 2017, a grand jury issued a subpoena for Kash Patel's communication records, which Patel later claimed was retaliation for his work on the Nunes memo in a lawsuit filed in September 2024.

February 2018: Nunes Memo Release

In February 2018, the Nunes memo, primarily authored by Kash Patel, was released, alleging procedural failures in the FBI's FISA warrant application for Trump campaign advisor Carter Page during the FBI's Russia investigation, including reliance on the Steele dossier.

February 2019: Joined National Security Council

In February 2019, Kash Patel became part of the National Security Council's International Organizations and Alliances directorate.

April 2019: Shift to Ukraine Work

In April 2019, Kash Patel shifted his focus to Ukraine-related matters. According to the Times, Trump personally discussed Ukraine documents with Patel.

July 2019: Appointed Senior Director at NSC

In July 2019, Kash Patel was appointed senior director of the counterterrorism directorate at the National Security Council (NSC).

October 2019: Defamation Suit Against The New York Times

In October 2019, Kash Patel filed a $44-million defamation suit against The New York Times over articles reporting concerns he was giving Trump Ukraine-related materials.

December 2019: Inspector General Report

In December 2019, Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz's report identified 17 "significant errors or omissions" in the FBI's FISA applications, which Lawfare assessed validated some points in the Nunes memo, though the underlying implication of political bias was not substantiated.

February 2020: Advisor to Richard Grenell

In February 2020, Kash Patel became an advisor to Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, and later became the principal deputy director of national intelligence.

April 2020: Trump's Plan to Oust Wray

In April 2020, Trump devised a plan to remove FBI director Christopher A. Wray and appoint William Evanina, with Kash Patel as deputy director. This plan was halted by Attorney General William Barr.

August 2020: Traveled to Damascus

In August 2020, Kash Patel and Roger D. Carstens traveled to Damascus to meet with Ali Mamlouk, the director of Syria's National Security Bureau.

November 2020: Appointed Chief of Staff to Acting Defense Secretary

In November 2020, after Trump dismissed Esper, Christopher C. Miller was named acting defense secretary, and Kash Patel was appointed as Miller's chief of staff.

December 2020: Defamation Suit Against CNN

In December 2020, Kash Patel sued CNN for $50 million for defamation over articles connecting him to efforts to spread conspiracy theories about Joe Biden.

December 2020: Sought Appointment as CIA Deputy Director

In December 2020, Trump sought to appoint Kash Patel as the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), leading to CIA director Gina Haspel threatening to resign.

2020: Insurrection Act Examination

As part of an examination into Trump's efforts to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 and declare martial law to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election, the committee requested Patel's communications.

2020: Disagreement over 2020 election

During his hearing, when questioned about the 2020 election, Patel stated the election was "certified" but did not say Biden won the 2020 presidential election.

2020: Promoted conspiracy theories

In 2020, Kash Patel promoted conspiracy theories about the deep state, the 2020 presidential election, and the January 6 Capitol attack. Democrats have accused Patel of QAnon affiliation.

2020: Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence

In 2020, Kash Patel was appointed the principal deputy director of national intelligence, a position he held until May when he returned to the National Security Council. Later in November, he was named chief of staff to acting secretary of defense Christopher C. Miller after President Donald Trump dismissed Mark Esper.

2020: Claims of Election Rigging

In December 2023, Kash Patel told Steve Bannon on War Room that he would "come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections"—echoing false claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election. This refers to the 2020 presidential election

January 2021: Leveraged Association with Trump

After Donald Trump left office in January 2021, Kash Patel utilized his connection with Trump to promote various business ventures and regularly appeared on podcasts.

September 2021: Subpoenaed by House Select Committee

In September 2021, Kash Patel was subpoenaed by the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack and requested to submit to questioning. Despite being instructed by one of Trump's attorneys to defy the subpoena, Patel decided to communicate with the committee regarding communications relating to martial law and the Insurrection Act.

2021: Managing Trishul

After Trump left office in 2021, Kash Patel managed Trishul, a consulting company and founded The Kash Foundation, a nonprofit that intended to aid participants in the January 6 United States Capitol attack with legal costs.

2021: Host of Kash's Corner

From 2021 to 2023, Kash Patel was the host of Kash's Corner, a show on EpochTV.

2021: Dismissal of Lawsuits

In 2021, Kash Patel's lawyers moved to dismiss both his defamation lawsuits against The New York Times and Politico.

February 2022: Trump Interview on Kash's Corner

In February 2022, Kash Patel interviewed Trump on Kash's Corner, his show on EpochTV.

February 2022: Fox News Claim About Trump Tower Infiltration

In February 2022, following a Durham court filing, Kash Patel told Fox News that Clinton's lawyers had worked to "infiltrate" Trump Tower and White House servers. Fox News then used his phrasing in a headline, though the filing itself used "exploited".

April 2022: Advised Trump to Fire DOJ Officials

In April 2022, Kash Patel revealed that he had advised Trump to fire senior Department of Justice officials.

April 2022: Named to Board of Trump Media & Technology Group

In April 2022, Kash Patel was appointed to the board of Trump Media & Technology Group.

June 2022: Investigation into Toxic Corporate Culture

In June 2022, Kash Patel was paid $130,000 to investigate claims that Trump Media & Technology Group's co-founders had "fostered an unpredictable and toxic corporate culture".

June 2022: Trump requests access to records for Patel

In June 2022, Trump requested that the National Archives and Records Administration grant Kash Patel and journalist John Solomon access to administration records.

October 2022: Grand Jury Appearance

In October 2022, Kash Patel appeared twice before a grand jury, pleading the Fifth Amendment during his first appearance as part of the FBI investigation into Trump's handling of government documents.

October 2022: Meeting Alexis Wilkins

In October 2022, Kash Patel met Alexis Wilkins, a country singer, at an event as part of the ReAwaken America Tour.

2022: Publication of The Plot Against the King and its sequel

In 2022, Kash Patel published The Plot Against the King, a storybook about the Steele dossier, followed by The Plot Against the King: 2000 Mules.

2022: Agreement with QAnon Rhetoric

In 2022, Kash Patel said he specifically agreed with QAnon rhetoric surrounding the origin of SARS-CoV-2, the January 6 Capitol attack, and the first and second impeachments of Donald Trump.

The Plot Against the King

Check it on Amazon

January 2023: Beginning Relationship with Alexis Wilkins

In January 2023, Kash Patel began dating Alexis Wilkins, whom he met in October 2022.

March 2023: House Judiciary Subcommittee Report and Charity Record

In March 2023, a House Judiciary Subcommittee report detailed testimony of former FBI agents, stating they received financial support from Patel. That same month, Patel co-produced "Justice for All", a charity record by Trump.

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May 2023: Lawsuit Against Department of Defense

In May 2023, Kash Patel sued the Department of Defense over delays in the prepublication review of his memoir, Government Gangsters.

October 2023: Designations Revoked

In October 2023, Patel and John Solomon's designations to access administration records were revoked.

December 2023: Claims of Election Rigging

2023: Host of Kash's Corner

From 2021 to 2023, Kash Patel was the host of Kash's Corner, a show on EpochTV.

2023: Writing of Government Gangsters

In 2023, Kash Patel wrote Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy, which includes claims about the FBI investigation into Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

2023: Government Gangsters Memoir

In 2023, Kash Patel's memoir, "Government Gangsters", was published, revealing his inspiration from defense lawyers at Garden City Country Club.

Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy

Check it on Amazon

May 2024: Intelligence on Majd Kamalmaz's Death

In May 2024, U.S. national security officials informed the family of Majd Kamalmaz that they had obtained intelligence suggesting he had died in captivity.

July 2024: Guest Host for War Room

In July 2024, Patel served as a part-time guest host for Steve Bannon's podcast, War Room, after Bannon surrendered to a federal prison.

September 2024: Patel Sues FBI Director

In September 2024, Kash Patel sued FBI director Christopher A. Wray and other Department of Justice officials, claiming that a 2017 grand jury subpoena for his communication records was retaliation for his work on the Nunes memo.

September 2024: Vow to Close J. Edgar Hoover Building

In September 2024, Kash Patel vowed to close the J. Edgar Hoover Building, the FBI headquarters, "reopen it the next day as a museum of the 'deep state'", and "take the 7,000 employees that work in that building and send them across America to chase down criminals".

November 2024: Potential FBI or DOJ Appointment

In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump intended to appoint Kash Patel to a high-profile position in the FBI or the Department of Justice and considered him as a potential nominee for director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

December 11, 2024: Resignation Announcement of Christopher Wray

On December 11, 2024, Christopher Wray announced his resignation at the end of Joe Biden's presidency on January 20, 2025.

2024: Release of The Plot Against the King 3: The Return of the King

After the 2024 presidential election, Kash Patel released The Plot Against the King 3: The Return of the King.

2024: Consultant for Elite Depot/Shein

For nine months in 2024, Kash Patel was a consultant for Elite Depot, a company based in the Cayman Islands that operates Shein, an e-commerce platform.

January 2025: Senate Committee Appearance

In January 2025, Kash Patel appeared before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

January 2025: Letter Urging Rejection of Nomination

In January 2025, nearly two dozen former Republican government officials sent a letter to senators urging them to reject Patel's nomination.

January 2025: Defamation Suit Dismissal Affirmed

In January 2025, the Virginia Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of Kash Patel's defamation case against CNN.

January 20, 2025: End of Joe Biden's Presidency

On January 20, 2025, Joe Biden's presidency ended, marking the end of Christopher Wray's tenure as FBI director and the start of potential changes within the bureau.

March 2025: Absence from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

According to The Washington Post, by March 2025 Kash Patel was not at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

April 2025: Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

In April 2025, Kash Patel was replaced as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after serving in the role since February.

June 2025: Defamation Lawsuit Against Frank Figliuzzi

In June 2025, Kash Patel filed a defamation lawsuit against Frank Figliuzzi, a former FBI assistant director, regarding comments made on MSNBC's Morning Joe suggesting Patel spent more time in nightclubs than at FBI headquarters. MSNBC issued a correction.

August 2025: Default Judgment in Defamation Lawsuit

In August 2025, a federal judge issued a default judgment awarding Kash Patel and his foundation $250,000 in a defamation lawsuit against Jim Stewartson.

November 2025: MI5 Request and FBI Budget Cuts

In November 2025, MI5 director Ken McCallum asked Patel to protect the job of an FBI agent stationed in London. Patel agreed to find funding, but the job had already been slated for elimination due to White House budget cuts.

November 2025: Controversy Over Jet Use and Bodyguards

In November 2025, controversy erupted after Kash Patel reportedly used the bureau's jet to see his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, perform in Pennsylvania. Later that month, he faced criticism after the FBI assigned a SWAT team of FBI agents to Wilkins as bodyguards.

2025: Repudiation of QAnon During Hearing

During his 2025 confirmation hearing, Kash Patel repudiated QAnon, saying, "I have publicly, including in the interviews provided to this committee, rejected outright QAnon baseless conspiracy theories."

February 2026: Criticism for Winter Olympics Trip

In February 2026, Kash Patel faced criticism for traveling to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy after videos were posted online showing him partying with the U.S. men's hockey team and chugging a bottle of beer, raising questions about the purpose of the visit.