FBI Director Kash Patel is likely to be removed from his post with President Donald Trump’s backing, Politico reported, citing a senior White House official who pointed to months of damaging headlines including allegations about Patel’s drinking habits as the driving force behind growing frustration inside the administration.
“It’s only a matter of time,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official described the steady stream of unfavourable coverage as “not a good look for a Cabinet secretary” and said Trump was increasingly distracted by it.
Patel’s potential departure would add to a widening churn at the top of the administration. Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi have already been dismissed in recent months. Todd Lyons has announced he will step down next month. John Phelan was removed last week by Pete Hegseth.
Despite the speculation, the White House has publicly stood by Patel. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Politico that he remains “a critical player on the administration’s law and order team.”
The Atlantic Report and the Lawsuit
At the heart of the controversy is a report by The Atlantic, drawing on accounts from roughly two dozen current and former officials. The report alleged that Patel’s colleagues were alarmed by his drinking and unexplained absences claiming his security detail had struggled to wake him due to intoxication and that he drank heavily at a private Washington club. Officials cited in the report described him as “unreachable” and said investigations had been delayed as a result, with some flagging concerns about public safety risks.
Patel has rejected every allegation and taken the matter to court. In a USD 250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic, he accused the magazine and one of its reporters of publishing a “defamatory article” packed with “false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy his reputation and drive him from office.”
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“None of these events occurred. The FBI had also told the publication before the story went to print that the claims were all false. Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court. Bring your chequebook,” his filing stated.
A video that circulated widely on social media showed Patel drinking beer, banging a table, and celebrating with the US men’s hockey team at the Winter Olympics in Italy. The report said Trump, who does not consume alcohol, later called Patel to express his displeasure.
A Pattern of Controversies
Separate from the drinking allegations, Patel has faced repeated criticism over his handling of sensitive information.
After the killing of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk last September, Patel announced a suspect was already in custody though Tyler Robinson had not yet surrendered. In December, he said a person of interest had been detained in connection with a shooting at Brown University, only for that individual to be released hours later.
His operational decisions have also drawn scrutiny. Patel deployed a SWAT team to provide security for his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, during her performance at a National Rifle Association convention. When no credible threat materialised, the agents withdrew after which Patel allegedly “ripped into” the team’s commander, according to The New York Times.
Inside the bureau, Patel dismissed a large number of agents, including those linked to investigations involving Trump and members of a counterintelligence unit that had been monitoring threats from Iran shortly before the Middle East war began.
One episode highlighted in The Atlantic’s report drew particular attention. On April 10, Patel reportedly believed he had been fired after being unable to log into an internal system, even informing aides of his dismissal. The issue was later traced to a technical error. His lawsuit dismissed the account as “fabricated,” though sources suggested the confusion reflected broader uncertainty around his standing.
