WASHINGTON (TNND) — Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, appears to be on a smooth path to confirmation despite facing strong opposition from Democrats during Thursday’s confirmation hearing.
Patel has been a vocal critic of the agency, pledging to address corruption within government services.
Patel’s nomination is viewed as part of Trump’s strategy to reform the bureau. He has promised to reduce the FBI’s presence in Washington, redistribute agents across the country, and focus on tackling violent crime. “We let good cops be cops,” Patel said during his confirmation hearing.
He also says improving the public’s view of the bureau has to start with increased transparency.
Democrats have expressed concerns that Patel might use the FBI to target political adversaries, a charge Republicans leveled against the bureau under President Joe Biden. Patel, however, assured that “there will be no politicization at the FBI.”
Retired special agent and former deputy assistant director of the FBI, Jody Weis, said Patel will still face several challenges if confirmed.
He’s got to have people that he can trust that have no hidden agenda and that just want to go in and make the organization great again,” Weis said. “He’s got to bring a team to change the culture, culture is driven by leadership… I think he is the right person. He is a disrupter.”
Reports emerged Friday that many top FBI officials were instructed to resign, retire, or face termination in the coming days.
Cesar Paz, a retired special agent and 21-year veteran of the agency, said a shake-up led by Patel is what the FBI needs.
“I think that the end result will be a better FBI, a cleaner FBI as far as personnel goes and a better service to the nation,” Paz said.
The judiciary committee is expected to advance Patel’s nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote, though the timing of these votes remains uncertain.
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