Patel is set to inherit an agency riven by turmoil amid the recent forced departures of a group of senior executives and by a highly unusual Justice Department demand for the names of all agents who participated in investigations related to January 6.
The US Senate approved Kash Patel as the new Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). With this, 44-year-old Patel becomes the first Indian American to head the FBI. He secured the confirmation with a 51/47 vote, news agency ANI reported citing C-Span. Patel, a former intelligence official and a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, had been a polarising figure throughout the nomination process.
This came despite opposition from the Democrats, who warned that Patel, a staunch Republican, could use the agency to target the president’s perceived political enemies. On Tuesday, Patel cleared a key procedural vote in the Senate with strong Republican backing, as reported by The New York Post. The Senate voted 48-45 along party lines to advance the nomination, triggering a 30-hour debate before Patel would have received final approval on Thursday, The New York Post reported, citing sources. During the Senate confirmation hearings on January 30, while referring to the January 6 Capitol Riots, reiterated his firm stance against violence, emphasising that such actions must never be tolerated. He stated that anyone who engages in violence against law enforcement should be investigated, prosecuted, and imprisoned.
The appointment of FBI directors in the United States is typically for a 10-year term, but they can be removed by the President. Christopher Wray was appointed to the position in 2017. However, former President Donald Trump had pledged to dismiss him, which ultimately led to Wray resigning towards the end of the Biden administration.
Who is Kash Patel?
Born on February 25, 1980, in Garden City, New York, Kash Patel is of Gujarati Indian origin. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond and later earned a Juris Doctor degree from Pace University School of Law. The 44-year-old Patel played a key role in the Trump administration, serving as the Chief of Staff to the Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense in the final weeks of Trump’s presidency in 2017.
Although Patel was born in the US, his roots trace back to Gujarat. His mother hailed from Tanzania, while his father was from Uganda. In the 1970s, his family immigrated to the United States from Canada. In an interview, Patel proudly stated, “We are Gujaratis.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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