FBI Director Kash Patel pushed back over the weekend against allegations about his conduct, after a report in The Atlantic claimed he has become increasingly erratic, drinks excessively and fears being dismissed by President Donald Trump.
According to the report, Patel has grown deeply concerned that his position is at risk amid discussions in the administration about potential replacements. The magazine described an incident on April 10 in which Patel struggled to log into an internal system, became convinced he had been locked out and frantically called aides and allies to say he had been fired. Two people described the episode as a “freak-out.” The issue was later determined to be a technical malfunction.
The report also cited multiple current and former officials who said Patel’s alcohol use has been a recurring concern. In some cases, staff delayed briefings because he needed time to recover from nights of drinking. Members of his security detail reportedly had difficulty waking him, and at one point officials requested breaching equipment typically used by special units because he could not be reached behind locked doors.
Some colleagues expressed concern that his behavior could pose a risk to public safety, particularly during a period of heightened alert linked to the war with Iran. “That’s what keeps me up at night,” one official said.
Patel, who was appointed 14 months ago, has also faced criticism over several incidents in which he publicly shared inaccurate information about ongoing investigations. He announced an arrest in the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk before any suspect had been detained, and in another case said the FBI had thwarted an attack before charges were filed, prompting suspects in a separate plot to flee. After a deadly shooting at Brown University, he identified a “person of interest” who was later released.
Additional scrutiny has focused on reports that Patel used government-funded private flights to visit his partner, country singer Alexis Wilkins. He was also reportedly criticized by Trump after being seen drinking beer with the U.S. Olympic hockey team.
Sources cited by The Atlantic said Patel appears increasingly concerned about losing his position, with one former official describing him as “rightly paranoid.”
In response, Patel rejected the allegations, telling the magazine: “Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court — bring your checkbook.” In a post on X, he added: “The only time I’ll be worried about the lies you write about me is when you stop.”