Kash Patel’s Nomination for FBI Director Meets with Open Minds, Support from GOP Senators

Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, unofficially begins his confirmation process with a firm footing as some Republican senators already support him, and others are expressing an open mind.

The Allbritton Journalism Insitute (NOTUS) reported Monday night that all GOP Senators appear to be headed into Patel’s confirmation process with an open mind at a minimum.

Establishment centrist Republican Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) indicated on Monday that they would head into hearings impartially, which is a contrast to their public opposition to former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) when he was the nominee for attorney general weeks ago.

“I don’t know his background,” Collins remarked of Patel, per NOTUS. “He is the nominee that I will have to do a lot of work on.”

Murkowski did not rule out supporting Patel in her statement to reporters.

“I’ve said I’m not going to comment about any of these nominees,” Murkowski said. “Because when one has not slept, it’s really not wise to speak.”

For reference, both women seemed aghast when speaking about Gaetz as the attorney general nominee.

“I was shocked that he has been nominated,” Collins said of Gaetz, per CNN. “If the nomination proceeds, I’m sure that there will be an extensive background check by the FBI and public hearings and a lot of questions asked.”

“I don’t think it is a serious nomination for the attorney general,” Murkowski told reporters, the Daily Beast noted. “We need to have a serious attorney general, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to consider somebody that is serious. This one was not on my bingo card.”

While some senators expressed open-mindedness regarding Patel, others are already backing him or predicting he will get confirmed.

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) fully supports Patel, per NOTUS, while Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) during an appearance on CBS News’s Face the Nation on Sunday forecast Patel, “a very strong nominee,” will “be confirmed by the Senate”

With a 52-seat majority until Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) appoints a successor for president-elect JD Vance (R-OH), Republicans can only afford to lose the support of two senators for a particular nominee, assuming all Democrats vote against him or her.

In addition to support among senators, Patel also has strong support among many FBI agents, according to retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jeff Danik.

Danik told Just the News’s John Solomon Reports podcast on Monday that Patel “is completely and 100% qualified to run that organization” and is the choice needed to lead the bureau.

Patel boasts a robust resume. He has served as senior adviser to the Director of National Intelligence, chief of staff at the Pentagon, and leading attorney for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). He also headed up counter-terrorism activities for the White House in Trump’s first term and previously worked as a public defender and prosecutor.