WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s makeover of the United States’ national security and law enforcement agencies took a major step forward Thursday, with Senate lawmakers voting 51-49 to confirm Kash Patel as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The vote puts Patel at the helm of the country’s premier law enforcement agency, where he has promised to lead an overhaul of the bureau at a time when critics of President Donald Trump have accused the administration of leading a purge to end the bureau’s tradition of independence and align the bureau with Trump’s priorities. Two Republicans — Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski — voted with Democrats against Patel’s confirmation. But support from the rest of the Senate Republican delegation gave Patel a slim victory, with many hailing the new FBI director as an agent of change. “The FBI has lost trust among the American people in recent years. Much of that stems from a perception that politics has infected the FBI’s important work,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, ahead of Thursday’s vote. “We need all law enforcement working together and focused on the real threats facing our country,” Thune said. “I look forward to working with Mr. Patel to restore the integrity of the FBI and get it focused on its critical mission.” Other Republicans have echoed similar sentiments. “The FBI has been infected by political bias and weaponized against the American people,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley before advancing Patel’s nomination to the full Senate earlier this month, noting “Mr. Patel knows it, Mr. Patel exposed it, and Mr. Patel was targeted.” “The American people are sick and tired of two tiers of access, two tiers of treatment, and two tiers of justice,” said Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, also speaking earlier this month on the need for Patel to head the FBI. Patel is a former public defender and federal prosecutor who previously served as a Trump national security adviser and at the Pentagon. In a statement announcing Patel’s nomination in November, Trump praised him as having “played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability and the Constitution.” Democrats, however, have repeatedly questioned Patel’s qualifications and integrity, accusing him of describing some of the prosecuted, Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol rioters as “political prisoners,” and of calling for the prosecution of Trump opponents. And citing whistleblowers, they have accused Patel of lying to lawmakers about knowledge of efforts at the FBI to force out officials and agents who were assigned to investigate the Capitol Hill riot. “He is unprepared and unqualified. He has an enemies list. He has these foreign entanglements,” said Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, rallying against Patel’s confirmation in front of FBI headquarters in Washington before Thursday’s vote. “To Republicans who may vote for Kash Patel, this vote will haunt you,” he said. “You will rue the day of this vote.” Democrat Peter Welch, also speaking in front of FBI headquarters, called Patel “a crown jewel” in what he described as a “lawless rampage” by Trump. “He’s an instrument of Donald Trump’s effort to destroy the Justice Department and the FBI so that he is absolutely and completely not only above the law, but beyond the law,” Welch said. Patel, during his confirmation hearing last month, rejected accusations he has an enemies list or that he will seek retribution against Trump’s opponents or enemies. “I have no interest nor desire and will not, if confirmed, go backwards,” Patel told lawmakers. “There will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken by the FBI.” “The only thing that will matter if I’m confirmed as a director of the FBI is a de-weaponized, de-politicized system of law enforcement completely devoted to rigorous obedience to the Constitution and a singular standard of justice,” he said. The FBI director is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate for a term not to exceed 10 years. Katherine Gypson contributed to this report.
