FBI Director Kash Patel is facing scrutiny for his handling of the investigation into the , with both liberal and conservative figures questioning his leadership of the agency following the assassination and the subsequent search for the perpetrator.
Just hours after Kirk was shot at a university event in Orem, Utah, on September 10, Patel took to social media to announce that the FBI had “the subject” in custody. This statement led to widespread reports that a suspect had been arrested. However, at the time of the post, , the individual suspected of shooting Kirk, had not yet surrendered to authorities; he ultimately did so after a 33-hour manhunt.
The governor of Utah clarified in a press conference soon after Patel’s social media announcement that the person in custody was merely a person of interest and that the gunman was still believed to be “at large.” Less than two hours later, Patel confirmed that the “subject” had been released after questioning. NBC News , citing an informed source, reported that Patel dined at the exclusive New York City restaurant Rao’s that evening.
The FBI director has defended his social media post, stating in an interview with “Fox and Friends” that he “was being transparent with working with the public on our findings as I had them.”
“Could I have worded it a little better in the heat of the moment, sure. But do I regret putting it out? Absolutely not,” he asserted. “I was telling the world what the FBI was doing as we were doing, and I’m continuing to do that. And I challenge anyone out there to find a director that has been more transparent.”
Nevertheless, his conduct during the investigation has within the FBI and among other officials, drawing public criticism from both Democrats and certain figures on the right. This included intense Senate hearings last week, where Patel was pressed on the release of documents related to the convicted sex offender as well as his oversight of the Kirk case in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
Democrats criticize Patel: ‘Shut up and let the professionals do their job’
During the FBI oversight hearings last week, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin stated that Patel’s post about the apprehension of the “subject” in Kirk’s shooting caused “mass confusion.”
“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,” Durbin, the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate, remarked as Patel appeared before the Judiciary committee.
Vermont Senator Peter Welch, a critic of Patel since his appointment as FBI director, labeled his handling of the Kirk investigation a “mistake.”
These criticisms were part of broader Democratic attacks against Patel during the hearings, which frequently devolved into heated exchanges.
Durbin, in addition to criticizing Patel over the investigation, characterized him as “arguably the most partisan FBI Director ever.”
New Jersey Senator Corey Booker and Patel engaged in a shouting match, with Booker telling the FBI director, “I believe you have made our country weaker and less safe,” and outlining what he presented as Patel’s failures—including his management of the Kirk shooting investigation and several other issues, such as the of multiple senior FBI officials without explanation.
“That rant of false information does not bring this country together,” Patel retorted to Booker’s list of criticisms.
Senator Adam Schiff called Patel an “internet troll” during the hearings, where he questioned the FBI director about the Epstein files and agency firings. In response, Patel called Schiff a “buffoon” and “fraud.”
Some on the right express concern
In contrast to their Democratic counterparts, Republican lawmakers generally supported Patel during last week’s hearings. However, the investigation into Kirk’s shooting and Patel’s role in it have also drawn criticism from several conservative figures.
Conservative activist Christopher Ruffo urged Republicans to assess Patel’s suitability to lead the FBI after the shooting.
“I’m grateful that Utah authorities have captured the suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination, and think it is time for Republicans to assess whether Kash Patel is the right man to run the FBI,” Ruffo on X. “We would be wise to take a moment and ask whether Kash Patel has what it takes to get this done. I’ve been on the phone the last few days with many conservative leaders, all of whom wholeheartedly support the Trump Administration and none of whom are confident that the current structure of the FBI is up to this task.”
Candace Owens, a conservative political commentator who has previously collaborated with Kirk, described the investigation into his death as a “federal conspiracy” on her Instagram story, claiming that the timeline and details of the investigation did not align.
Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon has also criticized the investigation, asserting that Robinson’s arrest was not the result of “great law enforcement work.”
“It appears the kid had said something to the family, the family confronted him, and the family turned him in. I’m not seeing the great law enforcement work. They all came together, I got that. But this was not great law enforcement work,” he stated.
Bannon, speaking after a law enforcement press conference, added, “I don’t know why Kash flew out there, you know, thousands of miles, to give us, ‘Hey, working partnerships and our great partnership in Utah.’”