Career Timeline of Kash Patel: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Kash Patel built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Kash Patel is an American lawyer and former federal prosecutor. He holds key positions, serving as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives since 2025.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2000: The Plot Against the King: 2000 Mules

In 2000, Patel publishes "The Plot Against the King: 2000 Mules".

2003: Joined American Bar Association Program

In 2003, as a student at Pace University, Patel joined the American Bar Association's Judicial Intern Opportunity Program.

2005: Started Career as Public Defender

In 2005, Kash Patel began his career as a public defender in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

2012: Joined Department of Justice

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

2013: Assigned to National Security Division

By 2013, Kash Patel had been assigned to the National Security Division as a prosecutor.

January 2014: Took Junior Position in Counterterrorism Division

In January 2014, Kash Patel took a junior position in the Counterterrorism Division and participated in a charity auction for Switchboard of Miami.

2014: Worked in Counterterrorism Division

In 2014, Kash Patel began working in the Counterterrorism Division of the Department of Justice.

2016: Investigated Russian Interference

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

2016: Department's Response to Presidential Election

In 2016, Patel later stated that the impetus for his leaving the Department of Justice in 2017 was the department's response to the 2016 presidential election.

April 2017: Began Working for House Intelligence Committee

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

2017: Senior Aide to Devin Nunes

In 2017, Kash Patel became a senior aide to Devin Nunes, the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

2017: Left Department of Justice

Kash Patel left the Department of Justice in 2017, later stating that the impetus was the department's response to the 2016 presidential election.

February 2019: Joined National Security Council

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

February 2020: Senior Advisor to Richard Grenell

In February 2020, Politico reported that Kash Patel had become a senior advisor to Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence.

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: Appointment as Chief of Staff

In November 2020, Kash Patel was appointed as chief of staff to acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller. During this time, Patel oversaw the Department of Defense's transition efforts during the presidential transition of Joe Biden. Transition officials reportedly expressed distrust, viewing him as a Trump loyalist, with allegations that he intentionally blocked the transition.

December 2020: Consideration for CIA Deputy Director Role

In December 2020, President Trump considered appointing Kash Patel as the deputy director of the CIA, which led to Gina Haspel, then director of the CIA, threatening to resign.

January 2021: Left Office and Pursued Business Ventures

In January 2021, after Donald Trump left office, Kash Patel began promoting business ventures and made appearances on podcasts.

January 2021: Trump Seeks to Appoint Patel as CIA Deputy Director

In January 2021, during Trump's presidency, there were reports that Trump sought to appoint Kash Patel as the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in December 2020. In response, Gina Haspel, the director of the CIA, threatened to resign. Mark Milley confronted Mark Meadows about whether Patel would replace Wray or Haspel. In the final days of Trump's presidency, Mike Lindell was photographed with a document stating, "Move Kash Patel to CIA Acting."

2021: Host of Kash's Corner on EpochTV

From 2021 to 2023, Kash Patel was the host of Kash's Corner, a show on EpochTV, a streaming service operated by The Epoch Times.

2021: Management of Trishul Consulting and Founding of The Kash Foundation

In 2021, after Trump left office, Kash Patel managed Trishul, a consulting company, and founded The Kash Foundation, a non-profit that supports participants of the January 6 United States Capitol attack with legal costs and sells merchandise branded as K$H.

February 2022: Interview with Trump on Kash's Corner

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

April 2022: Patel Advises Trump to Fire DOJ Officials, and Appointment as Director of Trump Media & Technology Group

In April 2022, Kash Patel told an audience that he had advised Trump to fire senior officials within the Department of Justice. Also in April 2022, Patel was listed as the director of Trump Media & Technology Group, where he later described promoting QAnon-adjacent accounts on Truth Social as an intentional business decision.

April 2022: Appointment as Director of Trump Media & Technology Group

In April 2022, Kash Patel was listed as the director of Trump Media & Technology Group, where he later described promoting QAnon-adjacent accounts on Truth Social as an intentional business decision.

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

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

June 2022: Investigation of Toxic Corporate Culture

In June 2022, Kash Patel was paid US$130,000 to investigate claims that the company's two co-founders, Andy Dean and Wes Moss, had "fostered an unpredictable and toxic corporate culture" at Trump Media & Technology Group. His report was later included in a legal dispute over Dean and Moss's shares in the company.

2022: Children's Book Publications

In 2022, Kash Patel published "The Plot Against the King", a storybook about the Steele dossier, through Brave Books, and also wrote "The Plot Against the King: 2000 Mules".

2023: Host of Kash's Corner on EpochTV

From 2021 to 2023, Kash Patel was the host of Kash's Corner, a show on EpochTV, a streaming service operated by The Epoch Times.

2023: Publication of "Government Gangsters"

In 2023, Kash Patel stated in his memoir, "Government Gangsters", that he had been offered to join the trial team against Ahmed Abu Khattala, a militia leader in the Libyan civil war.

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

Check it on Amazon

July 2024: Guest Host for Steve Bannon's War Room Podcast

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

November 2024: Nomination for FBI Director

In November 2024, Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Kash Patel as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

November 2024: Consideration for High-Profile Positions and Nomination for FBI Director

In November 2024, reports indicated that Donald Trump intended to appoint Kash Patel to a high-profile position in the FBI or Department of Justice and was considered as a potential nominee for Director of the CIA. On November 30, Trump announced that he would dismiss Wray, naming Patel as his nominee for the FBI position.

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.