Lead Patriot

Right Leaning Commentary

Patel Responds To Claims In Report
The Scoop

Patel Responds To Claims In Report

It’s not exactly a glowing performance review for the Federal Bureau of Investigation — not under the current leadership, at least. A blistering 115-page “pulse check” report submitted to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees paints a turbulent picture of the FBI under Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, both of whom were appointed under the Trump administration and have become lightning rods in an agency still navigating political minefields.

The report, filled with internal criticism and unflattering descriptions, spares no one. It describes the FBI as a “rudderless ship” and “all f–ked up,” quoting multiple anonymous sources from inside the bureau. And the two men at the helm? The reviews are mixed at best, and scathing at worst.


Patel, a former Trump aide with a background in national security but no formal law enforcement experience, is blasted as unqualified by more than one insider. One source bluntly stated that Patel “has neither the breadth of experience nor the bearing an FBI director needs to be successful,” while another, identifying as a Trump supporter, called him “insecure” and lacking “measured self-confidence.”

Dan Bongino doesn’t fare much better. While a former Secret Service agent and a vocal conservative media figure, critics within the FBI suggest that both he and Patel are spending too much time building personal brands rather than focusing on bureau leadership. “Stop talking, stop posing, and just be professional,” one frustrated insider reportedly said. Others lamented an “obsession with social media” and a tendency to prioritize public relations over the hard work of law enforcement.

The report also dives into one of the more sensitive episodes under Patel’s tenure: the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Salt Lake City. According to the report, Patel made “premature public remarks” that may have compromised aspects of the investigation, took undue credit after the arrest, and allegedly berated the field agent in charge — hardly the calm, measured approach expected of someone leading the nation’s premier investigative agency.


There’s even an almost comical — yet telling — anecdote about Patel struggling to find a properly sized FBI jacket before deplaning, a seemingly trivial moment that, in the context of a dysfunctional agency, speaks to broader issues of readiness and perception.

Of course, this isn’t just an internal bureaucratic scuffle — it’s Washington, and it’s 2025. With Trump back in the White House, every appointment, every investigation, and every personality is wrapped in layers of partisanship, legacy grudges, and media spin. That’s why, while this report reads like an indictment, it also has to be weighed in context. There are plenty of people in D.C. who never wanted Patel or Bongino in those roles to begin with.

To be fair, some in the report describe Patel as “personable” and note that the agency has made measurable progress in targeting transnational criminal networks and cracking down on organized fentanyl distribution. Patel himself has pointed to the FBI’s renewed “war on crime” as proof of the bureau’s revitalized mission under new leadership.


Still, creating “a culture of mistrust and uncertainty among the ranks” — as the report alleges — doesn’t exactly bode well for a law enforcement agency that has spent years trying to restore its credibility.

There’s no doubt that Patel and Bongino bring a different kind of energy to the FBI — brash, media-savvy, unapologetically political. But that same style, as many insiders clearly argue, may be undermining the professionalism and focus required for an agency tasked with everything from counterterrorism to cybersecurity.

Written by Arthur Higgens - December 4, 2025