FBI Director Kash Patel has vehemently denied—and threatened a lawsuit over—a new report from The Atlantic this week, which alleges excessive drinking and unexplained absences during his tenure as bureau chief.
In one post on X, Patel told the outlet and author of the report: “See you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court,” calling the piece a “legal layup.”
“Memo to the fake news – the only time I’ll ever actually be concerned about the hit piece lies you write about me will be when you stop,” Patel added in another post on X Saturday morning. “Keep talking, it means I’m doing exactly what I should be doing. And no amount of BS you write will ever deter this FBI from making America safe again and taking down the criminals you love.”
The article, published Friday evening, cites more than two dozen people, including unnamed current and former FBI officials, alleging several episodes described as “freak-outs” from the 46-year-old former public defender. These allegations of erratic behavior and excessive drinking are indicative of what they describe as poor and even absent leadership of the agency, which has about 38,000 employees.
Several officials cited in the piece say that Patel is known for “obvious intoxication” at private clubs in Washington and in Las Vegas, forcing his staff to move early morning meetings to later in the day as he recovered. Justice Department and White House officials also described instances in which aides or security personnel had difficulty waking him. In one case, members of his security detail were unable to reach him behind locked doors, prompting a request for “breaching equipment” typically used by tactical teams. If substantiated, such conduct would violate the Department of Justice’s ethics standards, which prohibit habitual intoxication.
Officials also said it had raised concerns about public safety, with some wondering how Patel would handle a domestic terrorist attack. “That’s what keeps me up at night,” one official told The Atlantic, adding that concerns have grown in the weeks since the United States began military operations against Iran.
The article also alleges that many staffers are just “waiting” for the notice that Patel will be fired from his position, despite President Donald Trump having previously defended the FBI director. Officials cited in the report pointed to his unreachability and impulsivity in response to high-stakes situations.
In response to the allegations, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told the magazine that “crime across the country has plummeted to the lowest level in more than 100 years and many high profile criminals have been put behind bars. Director Patel remains a critical player on the Administration’s law and order team.”
The report comes weeks after Iran-linked hackers calling themselves Handala claimed to have breached Patel’s personal email and published photographs and documents online, according to Reuters.
Past controversies
The report adds to the mounting questions over Patel’s leadership of the U.S.’s principal federal law enforcement agency and is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding him.
In September 2025, Patel drew criticism among lawmakers across the political aisle over his handling of the manhunt for right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk’s killer, especially after he prematurely announced that the authorities had detained a suspect.
At the time, Patel said in an interview that he had “no regrets” about the social media post, claiming that he was acting in the interest of transparency.
“Mr. Patel was so anxious to take credit for finding Mr. Kirk’s assassin that he violated one of the basics of effective law enforcement: At critical stages of investigation, shut up and let the professionals do their job,” Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, said in an FBI oversight hearing at the time.
Read more: After Missteps, Kash Patel Faces Questions Over His Leadership of Charlie Kirk Investigation
In December last year, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee released a letter demanding answers after reports emerged that Patel used a government aircraft on a “date night” with his country singer girlfriend, to go see her perform in Pennsylvania, and for trips to places like Texas and Scotland. Patel called the accusations “baseless rumors” at the time.
Then, this February, he once again came under fire for traveling to the Milan-Cortina Olympics to watch the U.S. men’s hockey team win the gold medal. Videos shared on social media after the game showed Patel chugging a beer, wearing a gold medal, and dancing and singing with the team.
An FBI spokesperson later defended Patel in a post on X. “No, it’s not a personal trip. Director Patel is on a trip that was planned months ago.”
The White House did not immediately respond to TIME’s request for comment.
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