Kash Patel has just barely scraped through the confirmation process in the Senate — but the tally is in, and he will now be sworn in as the next Director of the FBI.
The vote was extremely close, 51-49!
Mitch McConnell did vote yes — but two Republicans actually voted “No”!
🚨 #BREAKING: Kash Patel has been CONFIRMED as FBI Director by the U.S. Senate
The Deep State is COOKED! 🔥
CONGRATS Director @Kash_Patel pic.twitter.com/Ycds1p9KU6
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 20, 2025
Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Lisa Murkowski both voted “No” against him.
Here’s a quick Fox News report with the breaking news as the votes came in:
BREAKING: Kash Patel confirmed as Trump’s FBI director. pic.twitter.com/IEh3h828ed
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 20, 2025
Kash’s book, and its reference to “government gangsters” has the democrats worried, according to a report in The Hill:
The Senate on Thursday confirmed Kash Patel to serve as the head of the FBI, approving a pick with a string of controversial statements who has been accused by Democrats of directing a purge of bureau employees.
Patel has said he would “shut down” FBI headquarters on his first day in office and turn it into a “museum to the deep state.”
He’s alarmed Democrats by including a list of “government gangsters” in a book he wrote by the same name.
And Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Patel “likely committed perjury” when he denied having insight into FBI firings that came the very next day.
Durbin in a lengthy floor speech at turns called Patel “vindictive,” “dangerously politically extreme,” and warned Republicans “will come to regret this vote, probably sooner rather than later.”
“When I think of giving this man a 10-year tenure as director of the leading criminal investigative agency in the world, I cannot imagine a worse choice. You want the person has that job and that power to destroy people simply by investigation to show some temperament and some judgment,” Durbin said. “Kash Patel shows just the opposite.”
A former public defender, Patel got his start in the political realm as a staffer to then-House Intelligence Chair Devin Nunes (R-Calif.).
Patel played a key role there in seeking to discredit the committee Democrats’ investigation of Trump’s ties to Russia. That included authoring a report analyzing FBI and Justice Department responses in their own investigations of Russian election interference.
That experience also inspired him to write a series of children’s books, with a synopsis referencing “a sinister cabal” that “plotted to overthrow a president,” while Patel “reveals how we can defeat the Deep State, reassert self-government, and restore our democracy.”
The vote was razor close, and came right down to the wire!
✅ CONFIRMED: @Kash_Patel as the 9th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation pic.twitter.com/LAEZVGVhQL
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 20, 2025
The congratulations immediately started pouring in.
Though President Trump has been able to get most of his nominees through the confirmation process…
Kash Patel’s confirmation is seen as an exceedingly powerful knock at the Deep State’s door.
Congratulations to America’s next FBI Director, @Kash_Patel!
The FBI has been weaponized by deep-state Democrat operatives, creating a two-tiered justice system.
Kash is the right man to restore the FBI’s integrity, drain the swamp, and end this injustice once and for all! pic.twitter.com/HgUg3xKwXq
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 20, 2025
Charlie Kirk’s expectation of 50 votes was only 1 vote shy of accurate, but thankfully it was enough!
🚨🚨BREAKING: KASH PATEL HAS 50 VOTES AND WILL BE CONFIRMED AS THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF THE FBI.
REAL JUSTICE IS BACK AT THE DOJ.
LET'S GO!!
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/HVqwJuXDRT
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 20, 2025
I particularly like what Gunther Eagleman had to say.
The HAMMER OF JUSTICE is here!
Ladies and Gentlemen, Kash Patel is now OFFICIALLY the FBI Director!
He has been confirmed!
The Hammer of Justice is here! pic.twitter.com/eSpxqftpMj
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 20, 2025
Kash faced a steep mountain of criticism and roadblocks on his way to becoming the next FBI Director.
Quite frankly, those criticisms were thrown up by defenders of the status quo — not by Congressmen studiously attentive in their role to “advise and consent”.
Unfortunately for those players, the die is cast.
Not only is there a new Sheriff in town… but he is about to use the “hammer of justice” in the form of Kash Patel to GUT the crooked and corrupt agency that has been at the heart of so many injustices over the last few years (should I say decades?).
Kash put out this statement following his confirmation:
I am honored to be confirmed as the ninth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Thank you to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for your unwavering confidence and support.
The FBI has a storied legacy—from the “G-Men” to safeguarding our nation in the wake of…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) February 20, 2025
Here is the full text of his statement:
I am honored to be confirmed as the ninth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Thank you to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for your unwavering confidence and support.
The FBI has a storied legacy—from the “G-Men” to safeguarding our nation in the wake of 9/11. The American people deserve an FBI that is transparent, accountable, and committed to justice. The politicalization of our justice system has eroded public trust—but that ends today.
ADVERTISEMENTMy mission as Director is clear: let good cops be cops—and rebuild trust in the FBI.
Working alongside the dedicated men and women of the Bureau and our partners, we will rebuild an FBI the American people can be proud of.
And to those who seek to harm Americans—consider this your warning. We will hunt you down in every corner of this planet.
Mission First. America Always. Let’s get to work.
The democrats who intended to thwart his confirmation focused most often on his previous podcast appearances and public statements during which he very clearly laid out his plan to go after those who have weaponized the federal law enforcement organization against President Trump, according to a report by CNN:
The Senate voted on Thursday to confirm Kash Patel as FBI director, installing a staunch loyalist of President Donald Trump and conservative firebrand at the head of the nation’s top law enforcement agency.
During his confirmation hearing, Democrats focused in on Patel’s record – in TV interviews, podcast appearances, his books and social media posts – of calling for punishments against the people he believes are part of the “deep state” that has attempted to undermine Trump.
They raised concerns about what they called an “enemies list,” from Patel’s 2023 book, “Government Gangsters.” CNN has reported that some of the 60 officials on that list are taking drastic steps to protect their families, fearing that Patel will weaponize his FBI powers.
FBI Director Kash Patel vows to restore trust in bureau, hunt down bad actors 'in every corner of this planet' https://t.co/y2DsSRft1L
— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) February 20, 2025
As much as I have waited anxiously for President Trump’s nominees to pass through the confirmation process victoriously…
I don’t think any of them have felt as critical or important to me as this one.
There is no other person in my mind that can legitimately reign in and fix the FBI — whatever that means — like Kash Patel will be able to do.
This is a big moment for those looking for a return to justice in America.
Congratulations, Kash — and God be with you.
The fight is only just beginning.
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!