Major Controversies Surrounding Kash Patel: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around Kash Patel—discover key moments of controversy.

Kash Patel is an American lawyer who currently serves as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation since 2025. He also briefly served as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from February to April 2025.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2016: FBI Investigation into Donald Trump's Campaign

In 2016, the FBI investigation into Donald Trump's presidential campaign began, which Kash Patel later wrote about in his 2023 book, "Government Gangsters".

2017: Grand Jury Subpoena

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

October 2019: Defamation Suit Against The New York Times

In October 2019, Patel filed a $44-million defamation suit against The New York Times over articles reporting that NSC colleagues had grown concerned he was giving President Trump Ukraine-related materials.

December 2020: Defamation Suit Against CNN

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

2020: Promoted conspiracy theories about the deep state

In 2020, Kash Patel promoted conspiracy theories about the deep state, the 2020 presidential election, and the January 6 Capitol attack.

2020: Senator Peter Welch Repeatedly Asked Patel Whether Joe Biden Won the 2020 presidential election

In 2020, Senator Peter Welch repeatedly asked Patel whether Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election; Patel said that the election was "certified" but did not explicitly say that Biden won.

2020: Efforts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election

In 2020, Trump's efforts to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 and declare martial law to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election. The House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, in September 2021, requested Patel's communications relating to "the establishment of martial law, requests to establish martial law, or legal analysis of martial law" and "all documents and communications relating to" the Insurrection Act as part of an examination into Trump's efforts.

2020: False Claims of Election Rigging

In December 2023, 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, referring to the 2020 presidential election.

September 2021: Subpoena by the 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. The committee requested Patel's communications relating to "the establishment of martial law, requests to establish martial law, or legal analysis of martial law" and "all documents and communications relating to" the Insurrection Act 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.

2021: Lawyers Moved to Dismiss Defamation Lawsuits

In 2021, Patel's lawyers moved to dismiss both lawsuits against The New York Times, and Politico. Patel did not pursue his case against the paper, while Politico's lawyers suggested that the judge was prepared to dismiss the case.

February 2022: Fox News Claim on Trump Tower Infiltration

In February 2022, following a Durham court filing in the Michael Sussmann case, 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 attributing the claim to Durham's filing, though the filing itself used the word "exploited" rather than "infiltrate" and did not allege that the Clinton campaign directed the activity.

April 2022: Director of Trump Media & Technology Group

In April 2022, Patel was listed as the director of Trump Media & Technology Group. As director, he described promoting QAnon-adjacent accounts on Truth Social, Trump Media's social media service, as an intentional business decision to "capture audiences".

October 2022: Grand Jury Testimony

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

2022: Agreement with QAnon Rhetoric

In 2022, 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.

March 2023: House Judiciary Select Subcommittee Report

In March 2023, a report compiled by Democrats on the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government detailed the testimony of two former FBI special agents who said they had received financial support from Patel for promoting misinformation about the January 6 Capitol attack, finding one agent a position with the Center for Renewing America and promoting his book. Patel covered legal fees and paid witnesses who testified before the subcommittee, according to The New York Times. He co-produced "Justice for All", a charity record by Trump and a choir of men incarcerated in connection with the attack on the Capitol that was released that month. Patel was a political consultant for Save America and Friends, which is led by Matt Gaetz.

May 2023: Lawsuit Against Department of Defense

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

December 2023: False Claims of Election Rigging

2023: Publication 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.

September 2024: Lawsuit Against FBI Director Christopher A. Wray

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

January 2025: Defamation Suit Dismissal Affirmed

In January 2025, the Virginia Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of Patel's defamation case against CNN, ruling that Patel, as a public official, had failed to adequately plead that CNN acted with actual malice.

June 2025: Defamation Lawsuit Against Frank Figliuzzi

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

August 2025: Default Judgment in Stewartson Defamation Case

In August 2025, a federal judge issued a default judgment awarding Kash Patel and his foundation $250,000 after Jim Stewartson failed to respond to the defamation lawsuit.

November 2025: Controversy Over Use of FBI Resources

In November 2025, a controversy erupted after Patel reportedly used the bureau's jet to see his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, perform in Pennsylvania. Later that month, he faced more criticism after the FBI confirmed it had assigned a SWAT team of FBI agents to Wilkins as bodyguards. Patel then used FBI personnel to investigate a journalist who reported on Wilkins's use of FBI resources.

2025: Repudiation of QAnon

During his 2025 confirmation hearing, 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, 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 in their locker room after they won the gold medal and chugging a bottle of beer. The New York Times said the visit blurred "the lines between personal recreation and professional responsibility" and led to doubt over what the FBI said was the visit's purpose.

April 2026: Defamation Lawsuit Against The Atlantic Magazine

In April 2026, Kash Patel sued The Atlantic magazine and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick for defamation over an article alleging he had alarmed colleagues with excessive drinking episodes and unexplained absences, seeking $250 million in damages.

2026: Report of Excessive Drinking and Defamation Lawsuit

In 2026, The Atlantic reported that Kash Patel had been observed intoxicated in Washington and Las Vegas. He subsequently sued the magazine for $250 million, claiming that his depiction as an excessive drinker was defamatory.