History of Kash Patel in Timeline

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.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1972: Ethnic persecution in Uganda

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

2002: Graduated from the University of Richmond

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

2003: Participated in the American Bar Association's Judicial Intern Opportunity Program

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

2005: Started working as a public defender

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

2005: Graduated from Pace University School of Law

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

2012: American journalist Austin Tice was captured

In 2012, American journalist Austin Tice was captured.

2012: Started working at the Department of Justice

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

2012: Served on the case against the perpetrators of the 2012 Benghazi attack

Kash Patel temporarily served as a representative for the Criminal Division on the case against the perpetrators of the 2012 Benghazi attack, but was removed due to disagreements.

2013: Assigned to the National Security Division

In 2013, Kash Patel was assigned to the National Security Division as a prosecutor, concurrently serving as a legal liaison for the Joint Special Operations Command.

January 2014: Berated by Judge Lynn Hughes

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

2016: Investigated theory about Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election

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

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".

2016: Cited the department's response to the 2016 presidential election as the reason for departure

Kash Patel cited the Department of Justice's response to the 2016 United States presidential election as the reason for his departure in 2017.

April 2017: Began working for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

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

2017: Left the Department of Justice

In 2017, Kash Patel left the Department of Justice and became a senior aide to Devin Nunes.

2017: Syrian-American therapist Majd Kamalmaz disappeared

In 2017, Syrian-American therapist Majd Kamalmaz disappeared.

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.

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.

February 2019: Joined the National Security Council

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

April 2019: Shifted work to Ukraine

In April 2019, Kash Patel shifted his work to Ukraine, and Trump discussed Ukraine documents with him.

July 2019: Appointed senior director of the counterterrorism directorate at the National Security Council

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

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 2019: Horowitz report released

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 important points of the Nunes memo.

February 2020: Became an advisor to Richard Grenell

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

April 2020: Trump's plan to appoint Patel as deputy director of the FBI halted

In April 2020, Trump's plan to oust FBI director Christopher A. Wray and appoint William Evanina to lead the bureau, with Kash Patel as deputy director, was halted by Attorney General William Barr.

August 2020: Traveled to Damascus to meet with Ali Mamlouk

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 secretary of defense

In November 2020, Kash Patel was appointed chief of staff to acting secretary of defense Christopher C. Miller.

December 2020: Sought appointment as deputy director of the CIA

In December 2020, Donald Trump sought to appoint Kash Patel as the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, which was met with resistance from CIA director Gina Haspel.

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: Became principal deputy director of national intelligence

In 2020, Kash Patel became the principal deputy director of national intelligence until May, when he returned to the National Security Council.

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.

January 2021: Leveraged association with Trump to promote business ventures

After Donald Trump left office in January 2021, Kash Patel leveraged his association with Trump to promote several business ventures and made recurring appearances on several podcasts.

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: Management of Trishul and Founding of The Kash Foundation

After Trump left office in 2021, Patel managed Trishul, a consulting company. He also founded The Kash Foundation, a nonprofit that intended to financially aid people charged in the context of the January 6 United States Capitol attack and their families, and sells merchandise branded as K$H.

2021: Host of Kash's Corner

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

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: Interview with Trump on Kash's Corner

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

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: Advised Trump to fire senior Department of Justice officials

In April 2022, Kash Patel told an audience that he had advised Donald Trump to fire senior Department of Justice officials.

April 2022: Named to the board of Trump Media & Technology Group

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

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".

June 2022: Investigation into Toxic Corporate Culture

In June 2022, Patel was paid $130,000 to investigate claims that the company's co-founders, Andy Dean and Wes Moss, had "fostered an unpredictable and toxic corporate culture".

June 2022: Trump Requests Access to Administration Records for Patel

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

October 2022: Meeting Alexis Wilkins

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

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: Publication of 'The Plot Against the King'

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

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.

January 2023: Relationship with Alexis Wilkins Begins

In January 2023, Kash Patel began dating Alexis Wilkins after meeting her in October 2022.

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".

October 2023: Revocation of Designations

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

December 2023: False Claims of Election Rigging

2023: Host of Kash's Corner

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

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.

2023: Memoir Release: Government Gangsters

Kash Patel's memoir, Government Gangsters, was published in 2023, detailing his experiences and perspectives.

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

Check it on Amazon

May 2024: U.S. officials obtained intelligence about Majd Kamalmaz

In May 2024, U.S. national security officials told Kamalmaz's family that they had obtained intelligence indicating he had died in captivity.

July 2024: Guest Host for War Room

After Steve Bannon, a former Trump advisor, surrendered to a federal prison in July 2024 for defying a subpoena from the Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, Patel served as a part-time guest host for Bannon's podcast War Room.

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.

September 2024: Vow to Close FBI Headquarters

In September 2024, 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 Appointment to FBI or DOJ

In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump intended to appoint Patel to a high-profile position in the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Department of Justice. Trump later planned to remove Christopher A. Wray as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, interviewing several candidates for the position, including Patel and former Michigan representative Mike Rogers. On November 30, Trump announced that he would dismiss Wray and named Patel as his nominee for the position.

December 11, 2024: Christopher Wray announced resignation

On December 11, 2024, Christopher Wray announced that he would resign at the end of Joe Biden's presidency.

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

Following the 2024 presidential election, Kash Patel released "The Plot Against the King 3: The Return of the King", the third book in his children's series.

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: Appeared before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary

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

January 2025: Opposition to 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 Patel's defamation case against CNN, ruling that Patel, as a public official, had failed to adequately plead that CNN acted with actual malice.

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

On January 20, 2025, Christopher Wray resigned at the end of Joe Biden's presidency.

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

According to The Washington Post, by March 2025 Patel was no longer at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

April 2025: Served as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

In April 2025, Kash Patel served as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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: MI5 Request and Job Protection

In November 2025, The New York Times reported that MI5 director Ken McCallum had asked Patel in May to protect the job of an FBI agent stationed in London who worked with high-tech surveillance technology. Patel agreed to find funding to keep the position, but the job had already been slated for elimination as the White House moved to cut the FBI budget.

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.