WASHINGTON (TNND) — A report prepared by former and current Federal Bureau of Investigation agents deemed the FBI under Kash Patel’s leadership to be a “rudderless ship” and “all f-ked up.”
The 115-page report obtained by the New York Post, which will be reviewed by both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, characterized Patel as being “in over his head” and his number two Deputy Director Dan Bongino as “something of a clown.” The report comes a week after the White House denied rumors that President Donald Trump was considering ousting Patel.
Several unnamed sources within the report raised concerns over Patel and Bongino’s lack of experience as well as their “obsession with social media.”
One source stated that Patel “has neither the breadth of experience nor the bearing an FBI director needs to be successful.”
While another source “strongly believes FBI Director Kash Patel and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino’s lack of FBI experience is hurting their ability to lead its people and deal effectively with top-tier threats facing the country.”
The report points to Patel’s conduct amid the FBI’s investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Upon landing in Provo, Utah, Patel “would not disembark from the plane without an FBI raid jacket,” according to ALPHA 99, a “highly respected” source within the FBI.
“Patel apparently did not have his own FBI raid jacket with him and refused to step from the plane without wearing one,” according to the report.
The task to fetch Patel a FBI jacket required FBI special agents at the Salt Lake City field office to take time away from the Kirk assassination investigation to locate Patel a jacket, which belonged to a female agent. However, Patel complained that “two areas on the upper sleeves did not have Velcro patches attached, requiring members of an FBI SWAT Team to give patches off their uniform to Patel.
Unhappy with the course of the investigation, Patel proceeded to yell at Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Bohls“ over “perceived blunders” in the case.
The report also criticized Patel for incorrectly sharing to the public that the “subject” or Kirk’s alleged killer was “in custody,” but an hour later stated that the subject was “released after an interrogation by law enforcement.”
There was also criticism over Patel taking credit for parts of the investigation other agencies had done.
Patel “did a disservice to the FBI by breaking with Bureau tradition and norms by taking credit for the good work by other agencies,”the report stated.
One source directed Patel and Bongino to “stop talking, stop posting, and just be professional.”
However, the report applauded Patel for his rollbacks of DEI initiatives and mandates.