History of Kash Patel in Timeline
Kash Patel is an American lawyer and former federal prosecutor. He is currently the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a role he has held since 2025. Briefly, he also served as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in early 2025.
1972: Patel's father expelled from Uganda
In 1972, Kash Patel's father, Pramod Patel, a Ugandan of Indian descent, was among those who faced ethnic persecution and were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
February 25, 1980: Kash Patel's Birth
On February 25, 1980, Kashyap Pramod "Kash" Patel was born.
2000: Book Title
The Plot Against the King: 2000 Mules (2022) is a storybook about the Steele dossier, which was published by Brave Books
2002: Graduated from the University of Richmond
In 2002, Patel graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in criminal justice and history.
2003: Participated in ABA Program
In 2003, as a student at Pace University, 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 started working as a public defender in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and later as a federal public defender for the Southern District of Florida, beginning his career in law.
2005: Graduated from the Pace University School of Law
In 2005, Patel graduated from the Pace University School of Law.
2012: Capture of Austin Tice
In 2012, Austin Tice, an American journalist, was captured; this case was discussed when Patel met with an unnamed Syrian official in October 2020.
2012: Joined Department of Justice
In 2012, Kash Patel began working as a junior staff member at the Department of Justice routing arrest warrants.
2012: Benghazi attack case
In 2012, Kash Patel temporarily served as a representative for the Criminal Division on the case against the perpetrators of the 2012 Benghazi attack, but he was allegedly removed over disagreements he had with the office leading the case, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
2013: Assigned to National Security Division
By 2013, Kash Patel had been assigned to the National Security Division as a prosecutor and concurrently served as a legal liaison for the Joint Special Operations Command.
January 2014: 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. Also in January 2014, at a trial for Omar Faraj Saeed al-Hardan, a Palestinian accused of providing material support to the Islamic State, Judge Lynn Hughes berated Patel for his unprofessional attire and had him removed from the court chambers.
2014: Counterterrorism Division
In 2014, Kash Patel began working in the Counterterrorism Division, further specializing in national security and counterterrorism efforts.
2016: Russian Interference in US elections
In 2016, Kash Patel investigated the theory that Ukrainians were promulgating information about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.
2016: Presidential Election
In 2016, Patel later said that the impetus for his departure had been the department's response to the 2016 presidential election.
2016: FBI Investigation into Donald Trump's Campaign
Kash Patel's 2023 memoir, Government Gangsters, falsely describes the origins of the FBI investigation into Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and the authorization to wiretap Carter Page.
April 2017: Joined House Intelligence Committee
In April 2017, Kash Patel began working for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, then led by Representative Devin Nunes, investigating the theory that Ukrainians were promulgating information about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.
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, where he became the primary author of the Nunes memo.
2017: Disappearance of Majd Kamalmaz
In 2017, Majd Kamalmaz, a Syrian-American therapist, disappeared; this case was discussed when Patel met with an unnamed Syrian official in October 2020.
2017: Lawsuit against Christopher Wray and DOJ officials
In September 2024, Patel sued FBI director Christopher A. Wray and other Department of Justice officials, arguing that a 2017 grand jury subpoena for his communication records was retaliation for his work criticizing the FBI investigation into links between associates of Donald Trump and Russian officials.
2017: Left Department of Justice
Kash Patel left the Department of Justice in 2017, later stating that the impetus for his departure had been the department's response to the 2016 presidential election.
April 2018: Rosenstein Inquiry
In April 2018, Rod Rosenstein asked whether Patel had traveled to London the previous year to interview Christopher Steele regarding the Nunes memo.
2018: QAnon Mention
In 2018, Kash Patel's name was mentioned in a post by Q, an anonymous figure central to the QAnon conspiracy theory, with the message "Kashyap Patel - name to remember".
February 2019: Joined National Security Council
In February 2019, Kash Patel joined the National Security Council's International Organizations and Alliances directorate, expanding his role in national security affairs.
April 2019: Shifted Focus to Ukraine
In April 2019, Kash Patel shifted his work to Ukraine amid an effort by Rudy Giuliani to discredit evidence against Paul Manafort. Trump personally discussed documents involving Ukraine with Patel.
July 2019: Appointed Senior Director of Counterterrorism
In July 2019, Kash Patel was appointed as senior director of the counterterrorism directorate of 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 after they published an article about Fiona Hill's testimony in the impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump.
February 2020: Senior Advisor to Richard Grenell
In February 2020, Kash Patel became a senior advisor to Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, and later became the principal deputy 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 Miller's Chief of Staff
In November 2020, Kash Patel was appointed as chief of staff to acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller after Trump dismissed Esper. Patel was described as influential within the Department of Defense during the presidential transition and faced allegations of obstructing the transition.
December 2020: Defamation suit against CNN
In December 2020, Kash Patel sued CNN over defamation for $50 million. The case was later dismissed and appealed.
December 2020: Trump's consideration of Patel for CIA Deputy Director
In January 2021, it was reported that in December 2020, Trump considered appointing Kash Patel as the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, but CIA director Gina Haspel threatened to resign in response. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff questioned whether Patel would replace Wray or Haspel.
2020: Promotion of Italygate Conspiracy Theory
In 2020, Kash Patel promoted Italygate, a conspiracy theory alleging Italian interference in the U.S. presidential election. Christopher C. Miller requested an investigation by the Italian government into the claim, as a result of Patel's beliefs.
2020: Promoted Conspiracy Theories
In 2020, Kash Patel promoted several conspiracy theories about the deep state, false claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election, QAnon, COVID-19 vaccines, and the January 6 Capitol attack.
2020: Aide to Richard Grenell
In 2020, Kash Patel was named as an aide to Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, later becoming the principal deputy director of national intelligence until May, when he returned to the National Security Council. Also in 2020 Trump was involved in a plan to oust FBI director Christopher A. Wray and a separate effort to oust Central Intelligence Agency director Gina Haspel and name Patel deputy director of both agencies.
2020: Insurrection Act and martial law investigation
In September 2021, the House Select 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. This relates to the 2020 election.
2020: Views on FBI politicization
Patel has conformed to Trump's view that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has become politicized due to the 2020 election.
2020: Criticized for shares and Qatar work
Patel was also criticized for his shares in Shein's parent company, a stock award he received from Trump Media & Technology Group, and his work for Qatar through Trishul. The year was 2020.
January 2021: Leveraging Association with Trump
In January 2021, after Donald Trump left office, Kash Patel leveraged his association with Trump to promote business ventures and made recurring podcast appearances.
January 2021: Trump's consideration of Patel for CIA Deputy Director
In January 2021, it was reported that Trump considered appointing Kash Patel as the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency in December 2020, but CIA director Gina Haspel threatened to resign in response. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff questioned whether Patel would replace Wray or Haspel.
September 2021: Subpoena by House Select Committee on January 6 Attack
In September 2021, Kash Patel was subpoenaed by the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. The committee sought communications related to martial law and the Insurrection Act.
2021: Management of Trishul and Founding of The Kash Foundation
After Trump left office in 2021, Kash Patel managed Trishul, a consulting company. He also founded The Kash Foundation, a nonprofit that helps participants in the January 6 United States Capitol attack pay legal costs and sells merchandise branded as K$H.
2021: Hosting Kash's Corner on EpochTV
From 2021 to 2023, Patel was the host of Kash's Corner, a show on EpochTV, a streaming television service operated by The Epoch Times.
2021: Kash's Corner Launch
In 2021, Kash Patel launched "Kash's Corner" (2021-2023) where he advocated for reforming the FBI due to its alleged "illegitimacy". He also cited the Hunter Biden laptop controversy and pushed the Russia investigation origins conspiracy theory on the show.
2021: Dismissal of defamation suits
In 2021, Kash Patel's lawyers moved to dismiss his defamation lawsuits against The New York Times and Politico.
February 2022: Interviewing Trump on Kash's Corner
In February 2022, Kash Patel interviewed Trump on Kash's Corner, his show on EpochTV.
February 2022: Claims about Clinton's lawyers and Trump Tower servers
In February 2022, Patel told Fox News that lawyers for Hillary Clinton had worked to "infiltrate" Trump Tower and White House servers; Patel's claim was used in a Fox News headline that was falsely attributed to a filing in the Durham special counsel investigation.
April 2022: Director of Trump Media & Technology Group
In April 2022, Kash 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".
April 2022: Patel advises Trump to fire DOJ officials
In April 2022, Patel revealed that he had advised Trump to fire senior officials at the Department of Justice.
June 2022: Investigation into Trump Media & Technology Group Culture
In June 2022, Kash Patel was paid $130,000 to investigate claims of a "toxic corporate culture" at Trump Media & Technology Group.
June 2022: Trump requests access for Patel to administration records
In June 2022, Trump requested that the National Archives and Records Administration grant Kash Patel access to administration records.
October 2022: Grand jury appearances and invocation of the Fifth Amendment
In October 2022, Kash 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, later securing immunity and providing testimony.
2022: Agreement with QAnon Rhetoric
In 2022, Kash Patel publicly stated that he 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.
2022: Publication of Children's Books
In 2022, Kash Patel published "The Plot Against the King", a storybook about the Steele dossier, with Brave Books. He also published "The Plot Against the King: 2000 Mules" in 2022.
March 2023: Support for promoters of misinformation about January 6
In March 2023, a report detailed testimony that Kash Patel provided financial support to former FBI special agents for promoting misinformation about the January 6 Capitol attack. 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.
June 2023: Lawsuit against Jim Stewartson
In June 2023, Kash Patel sued Jim Stewartson, an online commentator.
October 2023: Revocation of access to administration records
In October 2023, Patel's designation granting him access to administration records was revoked.
December 2023: Echoing claims of election fraud
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.
2023: Hosting Kash's Corner on EpochTV
From 2021 to 2023, Patel was the host of Kash's Corner, a show on EpochTV, a streaming television service operated by The Epoch Times.
2023: Promotion of Unsubstantiated Detoxification Methods
In 2023, Kash Patel was noted to be still hosting Kash's Corner and promoted pills that claim to detoxify the coronavirus spike protein provided by COVID-19 vaccines on Truth Social.
2023: Publication of Government Gangsters
In 2023, Kash Patel wrote "Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy", a memoir about the FBI investigation into Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
2023: Publication of Memoir
In 2023, Kash Patel's memoir, "Government Gangsters", was published, detailing his experiences and perspectives.
May 2024: Intelligence Regarding Majd Kamalmaz's Death
In May 2024, U.S. national security officials informed Majd Kamalmaz's family that they had obtained intelligence indicating he had died in captivity, a case Kash Patel had been involved in during 2020.
July 2024: Guest hosting Bannon's War Room podcast
In July 2024, after Steve Bannon surrendered to prison, Kash Patel served as a part-time guest host for Bannon's podcast War Room.
September 2024: Vow to close J. Edgar Hoover Building
In September 2024, Kash Patel vowed to close the J. Edgar Hoover Building, the headquarters of the FBI.
November 2024: Nominated as FBI Director
In November 2024, Donald Trump announced that he would dismiss Wray as FBI director and nominate Kash Patel as his replacement.
November 2024: Consideration for high-profile position in FBI or DOJ
In November 2024, it was reported that President-elect Donald Trump intended to appoint Kash Patel to a high-profile position in the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Department of Justice, with potential consideration for FBI director or CIA director.
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, 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 Hearing
In January 2025, Kash Patel appeared before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Senator Dick Durbin accused Patel of perjury.
January 2025: Republican officials urge rejection of Patel's nomination
In January 2025, nearly two dozen Republican government officials sent a letter to senators urging them to reject Patel's nomination.
March 2025: Absence from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
According to The Washington Post, by March 2025, Patel was not at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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