President Donald Trump’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director, Kash Patel, issued a major warning following his Senate confirmation on Thursday, vowing to “hunt down” anyone who tries to “harm Americans.”
After Patel was approved by the Senate Thursday with a vote of 51 to 49, the FBI director released a statement on X, formerly Twitter, saying that he was “honored” to be approved as the ninth director of the federal agency and thanking the president and Attorney General Pam Bondi for supporting him throughout the nomination process.
“The FBI has a storied legacy—from the ‘G-Men’ to safeguarding our nation in the wake of 9/11,” Patel wrote. “The American people deserve an FBI that is transparent, accountable, and committed to justice. The politicalization of our justice system has eroded public trust—but that ends today.”
Patel explained that his mission as the head of the FBI is “clear” and that he will “let good cops be cops—and rebuild trust in the FBI.” The FBI director added that he will work alongside his fellow FBI employees to “rebuild” the FBI into an agency that the “American people can be proud of.”
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In his statement on social media, Patel also issued a major warning to America’s enemies and anyone who might plot harm against the American people.
“And to those who seek to harm Americans—consider this your warning,” the FBI director stated. “We will hunt you down in every corner of this planet.”
Patel added, “Mission First. America Always. Let’s get to work.”
Patel’s confirmation by the Senate on Thursday came after Democrat senators labeled him a “dangerous extremist” and claimed that he would use his position at the FBI to “retaliate” against the president’s political opponents. Despite accusations by Senate Democrats, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) expressed confidence in Patel prior to Thursday’s vote and said he was looking forward to “working with Mr. Patel to restore the integrity of the FBI and get it focused on its critical mission.”
Following Thursday’s confirmation vote, Bondi congratulated Patel on social media, tweeting, “Congratulations to my good friend @FBIDirectorKash! Kash is extremely passionate about restoring the reputation of the FBI, and I look forward to working closely with him to end violent crime, protect our national security, and make America safe again.”
