‘America First fighter’ Patel picked as new FBI Director

US President-elect Donald Trump nominated close confidant Kashyap Patel, also known as Kash Patel, for the powerful position of Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Patel will be the highest-ranking Indian-American in Trump’s new administration.

Patel (44) was born in New York to parents of Gujarati origin, who emigrated from East Africa to the US. Patel was raised a Hindu, making him the third after Tulsi Gabbard and Vivek Ramaswamy from the community to be picked for Trump’s new team.

During the first term of Trump (2017-21), Patel was the Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defence. Trump called Patel a votary of his ‘America First’ campaign. In a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump said, “I am proud to announce that Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel will serve as the next FBI Director. Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending justice and protecting the American people.”

Before taking the charge, Patel will need to a confirmation from the US Senate. The FBI is currently headed by Christopher Wray, whom Trump had appointed for a 10-year term in 2017.

As an attorney, Patel worked in Florida between 2005 and 2013. In 2014, he joined the Department of Justice as a trial attorney, and simultaneously served as a legal liaison to the Joint Special Operations Command.

Patel was prominently seen with Trump at his New York court hearing that looked into allegations of Trump having incited riots in January 2021, when Joe Biden was to take over. If appointed, Patel is expected to go through with his announced intent of radically overhauling the FBI. Trump and Patel have in the past criticised the FBI and its activities, including the search warrant of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida in 2022.