‘White House Has No Confidence’: Kash Patel Could Lose His Job As FBI Director? What We Know

Last Updated:September 15, 2025, 14:51 IST

Kash Patel faces Congressional scrutiny after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, with criticism over his handling and agency stability amid political tensions and internal upheaval

FBI chief Kash Patel

Under fire following the assassination of Donald Trump’s ally Charlie Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel will soon face Congressional scrutiny over his handling of the murder investigation.

Speculation has intensified as former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey—once the frontrunner to lead the FBI—is set to take over soon as Deputy FBI Director.

Patel is scheduled to appear before the Senate and House Judiciary Committees on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he is expected to answer questions not only about the FBI’s handling of the Kirk case but also about his ability to stabilize an agency reportedly divided by political conflict and internal upheaval since his appointment.

Charlie Kirk, a right-wing political activist, was shot on September 10 while addressing a crowd at Utah Valley University.

However, on Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump praised Patel for the speed with which the FBI identified and captured Kirk’s alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson.

In a statement posted on X on Friday, Christopher F. Rufo, a fellow at the conservative think tank Manhattan Institute, said it was “time for Republicans to assess whether Kash Patel is the right man to run the FBI.”

“He performed terribly in the last few days, and it’s not clear whether he has the operational expertise to investigate, infiltrate, and disrupt the violent movements—of whatever ideology—that threaten the peace in the United States,” Rufo added.

“I’ve been on the phone the last few days with many conservative leaders, all of whom wholeheartedly support the Trump administration—and none of whom are confident that the current structure of the FBI is up to this task,” he further said.

Conservative commentator Erick Erickson also supported Rufo’s assessment and said the FBI situation is “concerning.”

Patel also came under the attack as current and former officials criticised his inaccurate statement that a suspect had been caught in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Moments before officials on the scene of the shooting in Orem, Utah, briefed the press on Wednesday, Patel announced on social media that the person responsible for the shooting was in custody. That claim was quickly contradicted by local officials, leading to hours of confusion before the FBI clarified that two people had been questioned and then released following the incident.

“At the outset of an investigation, much of the initial intelligence is typically wrong or slightly off. That’s why what he did yesterday has never been done by any FBI director before him, or any division leadership before,” said retired FBI agent Dan Brunner. “The investigators need to sort through all the initial intelligence before putting out factual evidence … FBI does not run investigations on social media.”

A White House source, granted anonymity to discuss internal discussions, called Patel’s announcement unprofessional and said “his performance is really not acceptable to the White House or the American public” and will be addressed, Reuters reported.

Patel was removed earlier this year from his other role serving as the acting director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was never made clear why he was removed, and replaced with Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll.

About the Author

Saurabh Verma

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

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