Kash Patel Confirmed by Senate as FBI Director

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The GOP-led Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Kash Patel on Thursday, as the new FBI director, marking another victory for Trump and addressing recent claims of politicization within the bureau.

Kash Patel was confirmed as FBI director by a narrow 51-49 vote, with GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Susan Collins (ME) joining Democrats in opposition after weeks of media speculation about the peril of his nomination.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who had opposed some of Trump’s other nominees, supported Patel, securing his confirmation with all but two Republican votes.

In late November, President Trump nominated Kash Patel, a former top investigator for the House Intelligence Committee who also held senior national security roles in his first administration.

“Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People,” Trump said.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the leading Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, criticized the nomination, stating on X that Patel “is a dangerous extremist who will use the FBI to retaliate against his and Trump’s political enemies,” after Patel received no support from Democrats.

Patel has committed to purging the agency of partisan political actors and ending its alleged political weaponization.

The FBI director, who reports directly to the U.S. Attorney General and can serve for up to 10 years.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

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