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Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump announced on Saturday his nomination of Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Kash Patel, a former US Defense Department Chief of Staff and an Indian-American, is recognized as a staunch Trump supporter.
On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump expressed, “I am proud to nominate Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel as the FBI’s next Director. Kash is an outstanding lawyer, investigator, and an ‘America First’ advocate who has dedicated his career to rooting out corruption, upholding justice, and safeguarding the American people.”
Previously, there was speculation about Patel potentially leading the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); however, Trump appointed his close associate John Ratcliffe to that position.
In addition to Patel’s nomination, Trump revealed his choice of Chad Chronister, the sheriff of Florida’s Hillsborough County, to lead the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Discussing Kash Patel’s contributions, President-elect Trump remarked, “Kash performed exceptionally during my first term, holding positions such as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council. Kash has also conducted over 60 jury trials.”
Patel is set to succeed Christopher Wray as the FBI director, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 for a ten-year term. Trump has declared that Patel will work under Attorney General Pam Bondi, pending confirmation by the Republican-controlled Senate.
The son of Indian immigrants, Patel is an ex-defence attorney and federal prosecutor who has closely worked with Republican Trump. He rose to prominence in 2017 as a senior counsel to the House Intelligence Committee, significantly contributing to the Republican-led investigation.
In 2019, Patel joined Trump’s administration as a national security aide and was later appointed Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense in 2020. He is the author of a memoir titled ‘Government Gangsters and two children’s books supportive of Trump, such as ‘The Plot Against the King,’ which includes thinly disguised depictions of political figures like Hillary Clinton.
A staunch critic of what he terms the “deep state,” Patel has labelled the press as “the most formidable enemy the United States has ever faced.” He is presently a board member of Trump Media and Technology Group, where he earns a minimum of $120,000 annually through a consulting agreement.
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