The North News
New Delhi, February 22
Indian-origin Kash Patel was sworn in on Friday as the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), taking his oath on the Bhagavad Gita. His rise to the top of the agency underscores a career shaped by law, politics, and unwavering allegiance to Donald Trump.
Patel entered the political arena in 2017 when he became a senior Republican aide on the House intelligence committee. There, he authored a memo alleging FBI and Justice Department abuses in their surveillance of a Trump adviser. Though widely criticized, the document resonated with Trump and his allies, solidifying Patel’s standing within the former president’s inner circle, suggested the US based media reports.
The memo’s fallout propelled Patel into key national security and defense positions, culminating in his role as chief of staff to acting defense secretary Chris Miller. By the end of Trump’s presidency, he was even considered for the role of CIA director, a testament to his influence within the administration.
“Anyone who thinks the American dream is dead, look right here. You are talking to a first-generation Indian kid who is about to lead the law enforcement community in the greatest nation on God’s Earth,” Patel declared in his first remarks as FBI chief.
Trump, who appointed Patel, lauded him as a well-regarded figure within the agency. “One of the reasons I loved Kash and wanted to put him in was the respect the agents had for him,” Trump said. “I think he will go down as the best ever at that position.”
On his first day in office, Patel visited the Wall of Honor to pay tribute to fallen FBI agents, describing the visit as a reaffirmation of his commitment to justice and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
