FBI Director Kash Patel on Sunday again denied allegations that he struggles with alcohol, arguing that the bureau would not have garnered the results it has if “I’m not doing my job.”
“If I’m not doing my job, if I’m not working, then how is it that the FBI delivered the safest America under President Trump’s leadership in the history of our country?” Patel told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures.
Patel said he would “absolutely” sue the Atlantic on Monday for publishing rumors that he has been heavily drinking both in Washington, D.C., and Las Vegas, negatively affecting his job performance.
“It’s coming tomorrow,” he said. “They can beat their drums and stand next to toxic waste all they want, but that doesn’t make it toxic waste. And Maria, I’m happy to announce on your show that we’re not going to take this laying down. You want to attack my character? Come at me. Bring it on. I’ll see you in court.”
“This FBI has the most prolific year in crime reduction in the United States history,” he concluded. “The results, I say, speak for themselves. If the fake news mafia isn’t hitting you personally with baseless information in Washington, D.C., then you’re not doing your job.”
Under his leadership at the FBI, the U.S. has seen a 20% reduction in the homicide rate; a 20% drop in opiate overdose deaths; located 6,300 child victims, marking a 30% increase; and seized enough fentanyl to kill 180 million Americans, marking a 31% increase, Patel claimed.
“We’ve captured eight of the top 10 most wanted fugitives in the world, including rapists, murderers, terrorists, and narco-traffickers. That’s twice as many as Joe Biden did in four years, President [Donald] Trump and this FBI got done in 14 months,” Patel said.
The report detailing allegations that Patel has a drinking problem was published on Friday.
“Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information and private conversations, they described Patel’s tenure as a management failure and his personal behavior as a national-security vulnerability,” reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick wrote, citing conversations with over two dozen people, including current and former FBI officials, and members of Congress.
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Patel swiftly addressed the report, reposting a letter his lawyer said she wrote to the Atlantic before it published the claims.
“They were on notice that the claims were categorically false and defamatory. They published anyway,” lawyer Jesse Binnall said.
