What to know about Kash Patel
Patel, a longtime ally to President Trump, was narrowly confirmed by the Senate in February, facing opposition from all Democrats and two Republicans.
The 45-year-old’s career began as a public defender in Florida, before Patel went on to become a trial attorney in the Justice Department’s National Security Division and a legal liaison to Joint Special Operations Command. In Mr. Trump’s first administration, Patel served in intelligence and defense roles, and held a position on the National Security Council and as chief of staff to the secretary of defense.
Patel came into the role after former FBI Director Chris Wray resigned at the end of the Biden administration as Mr. Trump pledged to fire him, though he had been nominated to a 10-year-term that was set to end in 2027. The FBI had long been a target of the president’s ire, especially after FBI agents executed a court-authorized search warrant at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
