RFK Jr., grilled about comments on race and vaccines. Patel, Gabbard also faced hearings: Recap
WASHINGTON ― Three of President Donald Trump's most polarizing secretary nominees ‒ Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel ‒ faced a grilling from lawmakers during a pivotal day of Senate confirmation hearings Thursday.
For Kennedy, Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, it marked his second day of hearings after he had a rocky debut Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
Kennedy's hearing featured tense exchanges with Democrats, including over his past comments on race and vaccines.
While several Trump secretary nominees have sailed to confirmation with relative ease ‒ outside of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who needed Vice President JD Vance to break a tie in the Senate ‒ the fate of Kennedy, Gabbard and Patel remains unclear. Kennedy and Gabbard, in particular, may be on wobbly ground.
While some Republican members of the committee expressed concerns about Kennedy on Thursday, they did not say they would oppose his confirmation.
Sen. Alsobrooks presses RFK Jr. about race and vaccines
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., pressed Kennedy on his previous claim, originally made in February 2021, that “we should not be giving Black people the same vaccine schedule that’s given to whites because their immune system is better than ours.”
Kennedy cited studies in Poland that Black people “have a much stronger reaction” to vaccines and suggested that Black people need “fewer antigens.”
“With all due respect, that is so dangerous,” Alsobrooks said.
Studies show that a substantial number of white medical students believe that Black people have higher pain tolerances, and fail to provide fully accurate treatment recommendations for Black patients.
“Your voice would be a voice that parents would listen to,” Alsobrooks added. “I will be voting against your nomination because your views are so dangerous to our state and to our country.”
- Alyssa Goldberg
'Lift it up' senator tells FBI pick
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., cautioned FBI Director nominee Kash Patel to rebuild the agency, not just tear it down.
“Don’t go over there and burn down that agency. Lift it up. Clean it up, but lift it up in accordance with due process and the rule of law,” Kennedy said.
Other Republicans in Thursday’s hearing have told Patel to clear out the “rot” and target politicization. Democrats have said they are worried Patel’s priorities include taking out people who prosecuted or investigated President Donald Trump.
-Sarah D. Wire
Senate Budget Committee advances Vought to a floor vote
The Senate Budget Committee voted on Thursday to advance Russell Vought, Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget, for a floor vote.The floor vote, in which all senators will decide whether to officially confirm Vought for the role, will likely take place next week.Reuters reported that Democrats on Senate budget and appropriations committees had tried to postpone the Thursday vote after the Trump administration had ordered a freeze on federal loans and grants, but the effort was unsuccessful. Democrats on the Budget Committee ended up boycotting the vote, writing on X, formerly Twitter, that, “We will not vote for someone so clearly unfit for office.”Vought has also faced criticism from Democrats over his ties with Project 2025, an extensive 920-page plan put together by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, that aims to reshape the federal government. He wrote the chapter on executive power in Project 2025.-- Sudiksha Kochi
Kennedy, Sanders spar as hearing comes to a close
During closing remarks at Thursday’s hearing, Kennedy and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., were in the midst of a heated exchange when Trump’s HHS secretary pick slapped back.
“And by the way Bernie, the problem of corruption is not just in the federal agencies. It’s in Congress too. Almost all the members of this panel are accepting – including yourself – are accepting millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry,” Kennedy alleged, eliciting cheers from some of the audience behind him.
“Oh no, no, no,” Sanders interrupted.
“I ran for president like you,” Sanders continued. “I got millions and millions of contributions. They did not come from the executives, not one nickel of PAC money from the pharmaceutical ... They came from workers.”
-- Savannah Kuchar
Swing vote Republicans raise concerns but decline to say how they’ll vote on Kennedy
Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine each raised concerns about Kennedy’s prior anti-vaccination rhetoric in Thursday’s hearing.
Both Republican women are seen as swing votes with a penchant for breaking with Trump. Murkowski and Collins were two of three Republicans to vote against the president’s Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth.
However, neither revealed in their questioning today how they would plan to vote on Kennedy’s confirmation.
-- Savannah Kuchar
Patel declines to say if Trump lost 2020 election
Sen. Mazie Hirono ,D-Hawaii, asked FBI director nominee Kash Patel if President Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election, characterizing it as a yes-or-no question.
Patel declined to answer directly, although he acknowledged Joe Biden became president.
"President Biden's election was certified. He was sworn in and he served as the president of the United States," Patel said.
"Once again, people who are 100% loyal to President Trump cannot answer that question." Hirono replied.
Many counts and audits showed Biden won the 2020 election.
– Aysha Bagchi
Senator to Patel: Will you investigate past FBI directors and former attorney general?
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, referenced Kash Patel's book, "Government Gangsters," in which he describes people in government that he says are part of a "deep state" that needs to be ended.
The senator asked if he plans to investigate former FBI Directors Christopher Wray and James Comey, and former Attorney General Bill Barr. All three men served for portions of President Donald Trump's first presidential term.
"I have no intentions of going backwards," Patel said. "I have every intention of using the Constitution."
– Aysha Bagchi
Senate committee advances Stefanik nomination for floor vote
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted Thursday to forward New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to the full Senate for a vote.
The floor vote will likely take place next week.
Stefanik told senators on the Foreign Relations committee last week that she will push Trump's "America first" agenda on the global stage and be an unwavering supporter of Israel if confirmed for the role. She also said she would clamp down on U.S. funding for humanitarian entities that are "counter to American interests,” and criticized the U.N. as one of those entities.
She was the first administration nominee Trump announced after he won the election.
- Sudiksha Kochi and Cybele Mayes-Osterman
Sen. Maggie Hassan gets emotional during Kennedy hearing
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., became emotional Thursday while questioning Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and speaking about her 36-year-old son who lives with severe cerebral palsy.
“And a day does not go by,” Hassan said, tearing up, “when I don’t think about what did I do when I was pregnant with him that might have caused the hydrocephalus that has so impacted his life.”
“So please do not suggest that anybody in this body of either political party doesn’t want to know what the cause of autism is,” she continued, addressing her Senate colleagues.
Kennedy has previously repeated false claims that vaccines are to blame for rising autism diagnoses.
“The problem with this witness’s response on the autism cause and the relationship to vaccines is because he’s relitigating and churning settled science so we can’t go forward and find out what the cause of autism is and treat these kids and help these families,” Hassan said.
- Savannah Kuchar
Kennedy claims Wi-Fi causes cancer. The American Cancer Society says there's no evidence.
Sen. Andy Kim, D-NJ, asked Kennedy if he stood by his statement that Wi-Fi causes cancer.
Kennedy stood by his statement that electromagnetic radiation causes cancer. “Let me just clarify that it changes DNA,” he said. “There are scientific studies that link it to cancer, many of them.”
Wi-Fi equipment, like routers and access points, emits radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.
But according to the American Cancer Society, there is no scientific evidence supporting the claim that wireless device use causes cancer or other illnesses. However, the organization says those evaluating the potential risks of wireless devices agree that more and longer-term studies should explore if there is a need for better radiofrequency safety standards than currently used.
- Alyssa Goldberg
Patel refuses to commit to resigning if asked to break law
FBI director nominee Kash Patel was pressed several times by Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., on whether he would resign if the president asked him to do something unethical or illegal. Coons said he asked former FBI Directors Christopher Wray and James Comey the same questions.
"Senator, my answer is simply I would never do anything unconstitutional or unlawful, and I never have in my 16 years of government service," Patel said.
"Would you be willing to resign the post of FBI director if pressed and given no choice but to obey the order or resign?" Coons asked.
"Senator, I will always obey the law," Patel repeated.
"Does obeying the law require you to... refuse the order or resign?" Coons asked.
"I'm not familiar with the extent of the law that you're referring to, but my answer is simple: In my 16 years of government service, we will simply follow the law," Patel said.
That answer didn't appear to satisfy Coons.
"Mr. Patel, your predecessors in this role have been clear that they would be willing to resign if forced or directed to do something unethical or illegal," Coons said, before shifting to a new question.
– Aysha Bagchi
Gabbard defends trip to Syria to meet with dictator Bashar al-Assad
Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico questioned Gabbard about a trip she made to Syria in 2017, when she met with Bashar al-Assad, who was the country's president at the time.
Gabbard has come under fire from Democrats and some Republicans for the meeting.
“So what did you talk about, and did you press Assad on things like his use of chemical weapons, systematic torture and the killing” of Syrians, Heinrich asked.
“I asked him tough questions about his own regime's actions, the use of chemical weapons and the brutal tactics that were being used against his own people,” Gabbard replied.
“Were you able to extract any concessions from President Assad?” Heinrich asked.
“No, and I didn't expect to,” Gabbard said, “but I felt these issues were important to address.”
“Would you view this trip as good judgment?” Heinrich asked later.
“Yes, senator and I believe that leaders, whether you be in Congress or the president of the United States, can benefit greatly by going and engaging boots on the ground, learning and listening and meeting directly with people, whether they be adversaries or friends.”
– Josh Meyer
Kash Patel describes racial attack that forced him to move
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., pressed Kash Patel to describe any personal experiences of racism. Patel said he had been subjected "to a direct and significant threat on my life" that forced him to move.
"I was called a detestable – and I apologize if I don't get it all right, but it's in the record – a detestable sand-n***** who had no right being in this country. You should go back to where you came from. You belong with your terrorist home friends," Patel said, quoting a racial slur.
"That's what was sent to me. That's just a piece of it. But that's nothing compared to what the men and women in law enforcement face every day, and that's why they have my support," Patel said.
– Aysha Bagchi
Kennedy says AIDS is different disease in Africa than in U.S.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., pressed Kennedy on his claim that AIDS is a “different disease” in Africa than the United States.
Kennedy said during his hearing Wednesday he could not recall those statements.
Today, Kennedy instead doubled down on his claim, stating that he revisited that passage in his book and found that “indeed the diagnostics for AIDS is very different in Africa than the United States,” adding that the list of symptoms is different.
The global HIV epidemic has had the greatest impact on Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for two-thirds of the global total, according to the NIH.
- Alyssa Goldberg
GOP Sen. Susan Collins questions Gabbard about support for Edward Snowden
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told Tulsi Gabbard that she has concerns about her support of Edward Snowden, a former government contractor who leaked information on U.S. surveillance programs.
“Edward Snowden does stand out as having done particularly grave harm to our national security by revealing top secret information, including sensitive sources and methods, thus jeopardizing agents in the field,” Collins said, noting Gabbard’s public efforts to hail Snowden as a heroic whistleblower.
Collins said that in 2020 Gabbard introduced the “Protect Brave Whistleblowers Act, which would amend the Espionage Act to make it more difficult to prosecute individuals who reveal classified information” like Snowden.
Asked by Collins if she still supports that, Gabbard said, “Senator, we cannot and should not have individual vigilantes within the intelligence community, making their own decisions about how and where and when to expose” U.S. secrets.
–Josh Meyer
Asked about impact of Jan. 6 clemency on public safety, Patel critiques Biden clemency
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) asked Kash Patel if the U.S. is safer because 1,600 defendants in Jan. 6-related cases received clemency from Trump. Patel said he hadn't looked at all 1,600 cases and has "always advocated for imprisoning those that cause harm to our law enforcement and civilian communities."
Patel went on to critique a clemency action by former President Joe Biden: the Jan. 20 commutation of the sentence of Leonard Peltier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians who served nearly 50 years in prison for murdering two FBI agents during a 1975 shootout on a reservation.
Durbin noted that the commutation means shifting Peltier from prison to home confinement.
"He killed two FBI agents," Patel said.
"Senator, America will be safe when we don't have 200,000 drug overdoses in two years," Patel added.
– Aysha Bagchi
Sanders presses Kennedy on Medicaid cuts
Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Independent, quizzed Kennedy about Congressional Republican proposals to cut Medicaid funding.
The proposed cuts would devastate the federal-state health program for low-income families and cut off coverage for children, low-income seniors in nursing homes and community health centers, Sanders said.
If these proposed cuts pass Congress, Sanders asked Kennedy whether he would confront President Trump about how reduced funding could harm seniors and children.
“Will you say, ‘Hey, you're not making America healthy by throwing children off of health care,'” Sanders said.
Kennedy said he was unaware of proposals to cut Medicaid and said Trump has not told him about plans to cut the program that covers about 1 in 5 Americans.
“I can only tell you what President Trump has told me, which is that he wants me to make Medicaid, Medicare and Obamacare better,” Kennedy said.
-Ken Alltucker
Tulsi Gabbard tears into the U.S. intelligence community, saying it’s badly broken, politicized and in need of an overhaul
Tulsi Gabbard, in her opening statement, said “trust in the intelligence community, unfortunately, is at an all-time low.”
“For too long, faulty, inadequate or weaponized intelligence has led to costly failures and the undermining of our national security and God given freedoms enshrined in the Constitution,” Gabbard said.
Among them: the post 9/11 U.S. invasion of Iraq “based upon a total fabrication or complete failure of intelligence.”
“This disastrous decision led to the deaths of tens of thousands of American soldiers, millions of people in the Middle East, mass migration, destabilization, undermining of the security and stability of our European allies, the rise of ISIS, strengthening of al Qaeda and other Islamist jihadist groups, and strengthening Iran,” Gabbard said.
“The bottom line is this; this must end,” Gabbard said. “President Trump's re-election is a clear mandate from the American people to break this cycle of failure and the weaponization and politicization of the intelligence community and begin to restore trust in those who have been charged with the critical task of securing our nation.”
--Josh Meyer
Patel criticizes clemency for Jan. 6 violence against law enforcement
Asked by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) if President Donald Trump was wrong to issue "blanket clemency" to Jan. 6 defendants, FBI director nominee Kash Patel said it is within Trump's power to pardon. When Durbin pressed him further, Patel said he has always rejected violence against law enforcement, including during the infamous Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
"I do not agree with the commutation of any sentence of any individual who committed violence against law enforcement," Patel said.
– Aysha Bagchi
Top Democrat on Senate Intelligence Committee says he has 'serious questions' about Tulsi Gabbard’s judgement
Sen. Mark Warner, the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, eviscerated President Donald Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence, saying his concerns about Tulsi Gabbard’s judgement and fitness for office as the nation’s top spy have only grown with each time he has talked to her.
“Let me begin by thanking you for your decades of public service, both in uniform and as a member of Congress from Hawaii,” Warner, D-Va., said before criticizing a raft of Gabbard’s public comments.
Warner told Gabbard she blamed NATO for Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and rejected the conclusion of U.S. and allied intelligence agencies that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against his own people.
“Instead, you blamed the United States for supporting terrorist groups in Syria. Now I don't know if your intent in making those statements was to defend those dictators, or if you were simply unaware of the intelligence and how your statements would be perceived. In either case, it raises serious questions about your judgment.”
Warner also condemned Gabbard for being “publicly outspoken in your praise and defense of (NSA leaker) Edward Snowden, someone who betrayed the trust of our nation and jeopardized the security of our country.”
When questioning Gabbard about her views in recent months, Warner said, she doubled down on some of her answers or failed to have explanations for them.
--Josh Meyer
Senators push RFK Jr. on false claims about vaccines and autism
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., kicked off questions for Kennedy by asking if, as leader of the nation’s largest health organization, he would “unequivocally” assure Americans, particularly mothers, that vaccines do not cause autism.
Kennedy said he would – after being shown data to that effect.
Cassidy said that still left him with concerns, adding, “The data has been there for a long time.”
Following Cassidy, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., ranking member of the committee, pushed even further along the same line of questioning.
“There have been, as I understand it, dozens of studies done all over the world that make it very clear that vaccines do not cause autism,” Sanders said.
“The studies are there,” he added. “Your job was to have looked at those studies as an applicant for this job.”
-- Savannah Kuchar
Patel said he's 'uniquely qualified' to lead FBI
President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, said being the “victim of government overreach and a weaponized system of justice and law enforcement” makes him uniquely qualified to lead the FBI.
“I know what it feels like to have the full weight of the United State government barreling down,” Patel said.
As a House staffer, Patel was among dozens of congressional staffers who had his communications surveilled without his knowledge. The probe sought to find alleged leaks of classified information to the media. Patel was not singled out. He sued Trump-era officials, including Christopher Wray, the man he would replace, for unfairly obtaining his data. That case was dismissed in September.
-Sarah D. Wire
Kennedy starts remarks noting the collision tragedy
RFK Jr. started began his opening remarks at his hearing before the Senate HELP committee by saying he witnessed the rescue operations out a window of his apartment last night.
“Cheryl and I were heartbroken last night to learn the tragic accident that took so many of our fellow Americans,” he said. “We appreciate the first responders and local officials who are working so hard.”--Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
Crucial senator shows trepidation over Kennedy’s vaccination record
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is a must-get vote for Kennedy in order to secure the position of Health and Human Services Secretary.
In his opening statements Thursday, the Louisiana Republican and doctor was still unconvinced.
Cassidy said he is in “total agreement” with Kennedy on issues such as addressing increasing obesity rates. “But it’s no secret,” Cassidy continued, “I have some reservations about your past positions on vaccines and a couple other issues.”
Kennedy has repeatedly espoused vaccine skepticism, including false claims that immunizations contribute to autism. At Wednesday’s hearing, though, he said he is pro-vaccines.
“As a physician who’s been involved in immunization programs,” Cassidy said Thursday, “I’ve seen the benefits of vaccinations. I know they save lives. I know they’re a crucial part of keeping our nation healthy.”
He added, “Your past of undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments concerns me. Can I trust that that is now in the past?”
-- Savannah Kuchar
Senate hearing of FBI Director Kash Patel begins with fight over his preparedness
Senate Judiciary Committee leaders have set the stage for a confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, expected to focus heavily on whether Patel is the right person for the job.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the highest-ranking Democrat on the committee, said Patel, who hasn’t worked for the FBI and hasn’t managed a large group of employees, doesn’t have the experience needed to run the nation’s largest law enforcement agency. Durbin said that Patel’s loyalty is to Trump over the agency.
Durbin said Senators know what Patel believes because he wrote it in his book, “Government Gangsters,” where he laid out a list of 60 members of the “Deep State.” Durbin also pointed to a comment Patel made on a podcast, where he said “we’re going to come after the people in the media … We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly. … we’re putting you all on notice.”
“Does this sound like the kind of nonpartisan law enforcement professional that should lead the FBI?” Durbin said.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, said that Patel is what the agency needs while “public trust in the FBI is low.”
Grassley called Patel’s career a study in fighting unpopular by righteous causes.
“Mr. Patel, I know you know this, but it's your job to restore the public trust and return the FBI to its core mission of fighting crime,” Grassley said.
-Sarah D. Wire
Senator accuses RFK Jr. of spreading misinformation on antidepressants
On Wednesday, Senator Tina Smith, D-Minn., accused Kennedy of spreading lies and misinformation when it comes to mental health care and antidepressants.
In 2024, Kennedy speculated that antidepressant use could explain the rise of school shootings, despite a lack of scientific evidence to support such claims.
“There’s no time in American history or human history that kids were going to schools and shooting their classmates,” Kennedy said on the podcast “Club Random With Bill Maher.” “It happened, you know, it really started happening conterminous with the introduction of these drugs, with Prozac and the other drugs.”
But studies show no causation between antidepressant use and school shootings, and Smith added that “most school shooters were not even treated with antidepressants,” and among those who were, there was “no evidence of association.”
Kennedy proceeded to compare serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a common type of antidepressant including Prozac, Zoloft and Lexapro, to a heroin addiction.
-Alyssa Goldberg
What to expect: Kennedy returns for second Senate hearing
Robert F. Kennedy is back on Capitol Hill for his second consecutive day of questioning by senators charged with vetting Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy was pressed yesterday by members of the Senate Finance Committee on several issues from abortion to vaccines to Medicaid. Pressure came mostly from Democrats, though some Republicans present hinted at concerns of their own, including Kennedy’s prior criticism of common agricultural practices.
It may very well be another rocky day for Kennedy, sitting this morning before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Kennedy will be tasked with swaying key swing vote senators, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.
Cassidy, a doctor and chair of the HELP committee, was present for Wednesday’s hearing as well. He gave little indication during his questioning then about his leaning, and upon exiting the hearing he said nothing to reporters about which way he plans to vote on Kennedy.
-- Savannah Kuchar
Gabbard's 2017 trip to Syria an expected focus of Democrats
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, has drawn criticism from intelligence professionals and Democrats over her credentials to be the director of national intelligence, a 2017 trip she took to Syria and her past comments in support of Russia.
Nearly 100 former senior U.S. intelligence, diplomacy and national security raised alarm over the Gabbard pick in a letter to congressional leaders last month. They called attention to Gabbard's trip to Syria, where she met with President Bashar al-Assad.
The 2017 trip is expected to be a major focus of Democrats on the committee. At the time, it angered many Democrats who felt it legitimized Assad, who was being accused of war crimes against a popular uprising.
- Joey Garrison
Kennedy gets second hearing after Day 1 struggles
Kennedy, Trump's pick to be the nation's top health official, struggled to answer questions about Medicare and Medicaid during a shaky hearing Wednesday.
He also didn't have sound explanations for past statements casting doubt about vaccines, comparing the CDC's work to "Nazi death camps," saying it "highly likely" Lyme disease was a military bioweapon and concerns about antidepressants.
Kennedy tried to distance himself from the past remarks, highlighted repeatedly by Democrats, telling the committee, "I am not anti-vaccine. I am pro-safety."
‒ Joey Garrison
GOP chair of intelligence committee promises a full and fair hearing for Gabbard
Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on Fox Business Wednesday that Democrats have been “manufacturing baseless claims and allegations” against Gabbard.
“For years they've questioned her patriotism. This is a woman who served 21 years in uniform, who's passed five background checks. I reviewed the latest one last week. It's clean as a whistle,” Cotton said.
Cotton said Gabbard will get a full and fair hearing before the committee on Thursday, and that Republicans will then make sure she’s confirmed.
“We've told the Democrats we can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way, and the hard way means we're going to be in through nights and through weekends” until Gabbard and other nominees are confirmed by the full Senate, Cotton said.
But at least eight Republican senators have expressed reservations about her based on her foreign policy positions, Reuters reported last month, citing a Trump transition source and a second source with knowledge of the issue.
--Josh Meyer
Patel to face questions over 'deep state' views, FBI independence
Patel, a 44-year-old former federal prosecutor and national security official, is expected to face a tough grilling from Democrats over his Jan. 6 conspiracy theories, plans to overhaul the FBI and whether he's equipped to lead an agency that's supposed to be independent given his strong loyalty toward Trump.
Patel has railed repeatedly about the "deep state" in government. He appeared on an episode of a show that promotes the QAnon conspiracy theory. He previously stated that as FBI director he would "shut down the FBI Hoover Building on day one and reopen it the next day as a museum to the deep state."
And in a Truth Social post, Trump has described Patel's 2023 book, "Government Gangsters" as "the roadmap to end the Deep State's Reign."
Patel would replace former FBI Director Christopher Wray, who resigned in December before his 10-year-term expired after Trump made it clear he planned to replace Wray, who he originally appointed for the job in 2017.
‒ Joey Garrison