A former FBI special agent has said right-wing loyalist Kash Patel would do "major damage" if he President-elect Donald Trump selects him to lead the bureau.
“Putting someone like Kash Patel in the position of director of the FBI is, I believe, extremely, extremely dangerous,” Daniel Brunner, a former FBI agent, told CNN on Sunday.
Last week, reports surfaced that Trump is considering Patel to lead the FBI, sticking to his longtime pledge to fire current FBI Director Christopher Wray and replace him with a loyalist.
Patel is a former Trump aide and spent three years working in the Department of Justice. He unwaveringly supports Trump’s calls for retribution against his political enemies.
In an appearance on Steve Bannon’s podcast in July, Patel said he would come after those who helped “Joe Biden rig presidential elections.”
“We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly. We’ll figure that out. But yeah, we’re putting you all on notice,” Patel promised.
Brunner warned that Patel’s lack of experience in law enforcement, combined with his loyalty to Trump, will lead to “a massive amount of damage” within the FBI and result in hundreds of people being “unjustly fired.”
“He has no experience leading an organization, no less a Cub Scout pack,” Brunner said.
If selected, Patel would join other Trump loyalists selected for top law enforcement positions in his Cabinet, including Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence.
