Kash Patel Appointed as FBI Director – One America News Network
OAN Staff Sophia Flores
11:54 AM – Thursday, February 20, 2025
The Senate has officially confirmed Kash Patel as the new director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
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On Thursday, the Senate voted 51-49 in favor of Patel’s confirmation as the ninth director of the FBI, set to serve a 10-year term.
For Patel’s confirmation to pass, the vote had to keep Republican dissent to three or fewer “no” votes.
Among the two Republicans who opposed Patel’s confirmation was Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who also voted against President Trump’s confirmed Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth.
The Congresswoman shared her opposition to Patel’s confirmation on X, elaborating on her concerns.
“I will oppose Kash Patel’s confirmation to serve as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI’s mission is ‘to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States.’ Mr. Patel and I agree the bureau has strayed from that mission, becoming increasingly politicized and damaging public trust. We’ve had numerous candid discussions about restoring that trust. While I concur with Mr. Patel that it starts with putting agents back in the field doing their jobs rather than behind desks, my concerns about Mr. Patel are rooted in his previous political engagements and the potential impact on his leadership. The FBI must be a trusted entity focused on fighting crime and corruption, rather than engaging in political disputes. I was disappointed that when he could have objected to the administration’s request for a roster of agents involved in the January 6 investigations, he chose not to…” Murkowski stated.
Nonetheless, Murkowski concluded by expressing her hope that Patel might prove her concerns wrong if confirmed.
The other Republican voicing dissent was Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), who stated prior to the vote that she would not support the president’s nominee for the FBI position.
“The nomination of Kash Patel for Director of the FBI comes amid recent personnel changes at the Department of Justice, including the resignations of several career federal prosecutors who felt pressured to act contrary to their ethical duties,” she mentioned in her statement.
“While I fully endorse efforts to ensure all federal employees perform their duties ethically and within the law, Mr. Patel’s recent political history undermines his capacity to serve in the nonpartisan role of FBI Director,” Collins added.
In an unexpected turn, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who announced earlier today that he will not seek re-election in 2026, voted “yes” (“yea”) to confirm Patel. This is notable as he has opposed three of Trump’s Cabinet nominees in the past.
All congressional voting sessions leading up to Patel’s final confirmation have been closely contested, with the vote to advance his nomination to the final Senate vote being 51-47 along party lines.
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