First Indian-origin chief Kash Patel says he will create transparent, accountable FBI
Indian-origin Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) chief Kash Patel on Friday vowed to recreate the crucial US agency into one that is 'transparent, accountable, and committed to justice'.
Kash Patel, who is the first India-origin man to hold the post, said he is committed to restoring public trust in FBI.
"The FBI has a storied legacy—from the 'G-Men' to safeguarding our nation in the wake of 9/11," Patel wrote on X.
I am honored to be confirmed as the ninth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) February 20, 2025
Thank you to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for your unwavering confidence and support.
The FBI has a storied legacy—from the “G-Men” to safeguarding our nation in the wake of…
"The American people deserve an FBI that is transparent, accountable, and committed to justice," he said.
"The politicalization of our justice system has eroded public trust—but that ends today," Patel said.
He said: "My mission as Director is clear: let good cops be cops—and rebuild trust in the FBI."
Patel said he would work to rebuild the FBI into an agency that American people can be proud of.
Strong Warning
Sending a strong warning to those aiming to harm Americans, he said: "And to those who seek to harm Americans—consider this your warning. We will hunt you down in every corner of this planet."
US Senate Votes
The US Senate voted on Thursday to confirm Indian-origin Kash Patel as FBI director, thus choosing a loyalist of President Donald Trump to head the nation’s top law enforcement agency.
According to Reuters, Patel was confirmed by a 51-49 vote.
The news agency reported that two moderate Republicans, Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined the opposition Democrats in opposing Patel, but it was not enough to overcome broad Republican support.
According to CNN, the nomination faced intense scrutiny from Democrats on Capitol Hill who believed Patel would be used by Trump against his political enemies.
According to the US media, during his Senate confirmation hearing, Patel said there would be “no politicization” at the FBI and “no retributive actions” and accused Democrats of cherry-picking excerpts of old comments.
Trump Loyalist
A Trump loyalist, Patel has championed the cause to dismantle what he refers to as the "deep state" within the government.
"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 wrote in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform, earlier on Dec 1 last year.
