A blistering internal report has painted a picture of an FBI in disarray under its new director, Kash Patel, describing the bureau as a 'rudderless ship' and detailing a series of embarrassing incidents that have left agents disillusioned.
Report Details Leadership Failures and Agent Revolt
The 115-page document, compiled by an alliance of active-duty and retired FBI agents and obtained by The New York Post, delivers a devastating assessment of Patel's first six months in the role. Sources within the bureau, including those supportive of former President Trump, reportedly described Patel as 'not very good', 'insecure', and lacking the 'measured self confidence' for the job.
The report highlights significant friction, noting that anecdotal feedback from FBI personnel skewed '80/20 negative'. It alleges Patel 'lacks the requisite experience' for the demanding position of FBI Director, a concern echoed by numerous insiders.
Incidents Raise Questions Over Judgment and Priorities
The report details several specific episodes that have damaged Patel's standing. In the immediate aftermath of the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on September 10, Patel allegedly flew to Provo, Utah, but refused to disembark from his plane without an FBI raid jacket.
Having none of his own, he reportedly ordered Salt Lake City field agents away from the investigation to find him one. They eventually procured a medium-sized jacket, which embarrassingly belonged to a female agent. Patel was then said to have erupted because the sleeves lacked Velcro patches, refusing again to leave the aircraft until SWAT team members removed patches from their own uniforms to resolve the issue.
Further criticism centres on Patel's use of a government jet and FBI resources. He has faced mounting scrutiny for using an official plane to travel to see his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, and for assigning an FBI SWAT team from the Atlanta field office to protect her at the NRA's annual conference in April. Agents were reportedly later 'ripped into' for leaving the event early after determining Wilkins was in no danger.
Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, are also chastised in the report for an 'unfortunate obsession with social media'. Agents complained they often learned of internal operations via the duo's posts on X, rather than through proper channels. The report cites Patel's premature announcement on X that a subject was 'in custody' for Kirk's murder, a claim he had to retract little over an hour later. At the time of this post, sources say he was dining at Rao's, a high-end Italian restaurant in New York City.
Mounting Backlash and White House Support
Deputy Director Dan Bongino fares no better in the assessment, described by multiple agents as 'something of a clown' who should never have been considered for the role. One source recalled Bongino telling agents 'the truth is for chumps' during a field office visit, leaving staff 'shocked, offended and appalled'.
Despite the scathing content, the report's authors insisted it 'was never intended to be a hit piece'. It did credit Patel's FBI with making 'case work and threats the priority', marking a shift away from Biden-era DEI policies which the authors opposed.
Amid the growing controversy, the White House has offered its full backing. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson told the Daily Mail, 'FBI Director Patel is restoring integrity to the FBI and doing an excellent job implementing the President’s agenda.' Patel, a Trump loyalist confirmed by a narrow 51-49 Senate vote, succeeded Christopher Wray and now leads an agency he once vowed to 'shut down'.
