Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to head the FBI, was sworn in on Friday after a narrow Senate confirmation vote Thursday.
Patel was sworn in at the Eisenshower Executive Office Building by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the ninth-ever FBI director, succeeding Christopher Wray. Patel, who is Indian-American, is the first person of color to become FBI director.
“I am honored to be confirmed as the ninth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Patel wrote on X shortly after his confirmation. “Thank you to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for your unwavering confidence and support.”
FBI NOMINEE KASH PATEL CONFIRMED IN NARROW SENATE VOTE
Patel also issued a stark warning in his first message after being confirmed, saying, “To those who seek to harm Americans – consider this your warning. We will hunt you down in every corner of this planet.”
Patel has been a longtime Trump ally and a fierce opponent of the investigations into the president. During his confirmation hearing last month, Patel vowed he would not engage in political retribution against agents who worked on the Trump classified documents case and other politically sensitive matters.
Patel faced a rocky path to confirmation – similar to other fellow Trump picks – despite the Republican-majority chamber. Democrats on the panel used their political weight to delay Patel’s confirmation vote earlier this month.
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On the Senate floor, top Judiciary Democrat Dick Durbin claimed Patel had been behind recent mass firings at the FBI. Durbin cited what he described as “highly credible” whistleblower reports that indicated Patel had personally directed the ongoing FBI employee purge prior to his confirmation.
Patel brings to the office an extensive background in national security and intelligence. He previously engaged in personally carrying out dangerous missions in the Middle East in an effort to bring home U.S. hostages and also implemented counterterrorism strategies against America’s most-wanted terrorists.
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Current and former U.S. national security officials and lawmakers told Fox News Digital previously that he, “objectively,” is “one of the most experienced people ever to be nominated” to lead the bureau.
Patel’s confirmation to head the office comes at a time when the FBI’s activities are under extreme scrutiny for possible political motivations, including its own leadership and decisions.
Previously, thousands of FBI agents as well as their superiors were ordered to fill out a questionnaire detailing their roles in the Jan. 6 investigation, prompting concerns of retaliation or retribution.
“There will be no politicization at the FBI,” Patel said during his confirmation hearing. “There will be no retributive action.”
Patel previously served as deputy assistant to the president and as senior director for counterterrorism under the first Trump administration, wherein he worked on presidential missions aimed at decimating al-Qaeda senior leadership and ISIS command and control.
Patel was also involved in planning the mission to take out Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, among others.
Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch, Morgan Phillips, and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
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