Donald Trump, the US president-elect, stated on Saturday that he wants to replace the present director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with loyalist Kash Patel.
Trump stated on his Truth Social network that he has selected the former adviser and Pentagon officer, who has been critical of the agency and is well-known for his divisive views on a government “deep state.”
Since Christopher Wray, the current director of the FBI, was nominated to a 10-year term in 2017, he would have to resign or face termination.
Trump is upset that the FBI, led by Wray, whom Trump nominated, has looked into the next president.
Trump said on Truth Social, “Kash is an outstanding attorney, investigator, and ‘America First’ warrior who has dedicated his professional life to exposing corruption, upholding justice, and safeguarding the American people.”
Having published a book on the topic, Patel is a staunch supporter of the incoming president and subscribes to the Republican hardliner idea of an anti-Trump “deep state” of supposedly biased government officials trying to stop Trump behind the scenes.
During Trump’s first term, Patel—the son of Indian immigrants—held a number of high-level positions, including chief of staff to the acting defense secretary and national security advisor.
The candidate will seek to “end the growing crime pandemic in America, destroy the migrant criminal syndicates, and stop the evil scourge of illicit drug and human trafficking across the border,” Trump said, adding that “Kash did a tremendous job during my first term.”
