Fetterman Reports FBI Nominee Kash Patel’s Assurance Against Targeting Political Rivals

During an off-the-record meeting, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) noted that Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee for FBI Director, assured him that he would not seek prosecutions against the political adversaries of the incoming president.

“He absolutely [said] that’s never going to happen,” Fetterman remarked during a Dec. 22 appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”

“He’s not going to use the FBI to go after Trump’s enemies?” asked anchor Jonathan Karl.

“That’s what he claims,” Fetterman replied, though he suggested he wasn’t entirely convinced.

Fetterman offered few specifics about his conversation with Patel, who is considered one of Trump’s more contentious appointments. Patel would succeed Christopher Wray as FBI Director if the Senate confirms him.

In various interviews and his book “Government Gangsters,” Patel has implied that prominent figures within the establishment, federal bureaucrats, and intelligence officials should be investigated or prosecuted for historically ignored crimes. He has also included members of the media in some of his remarks.

Many Democrats interpret these past statements as indicators that Patel would leverage his position at the FBI to target Trump’s political rivals.

Consequently, most Senate Democrats are anticipated to oppose Patel’s nomination.

Additionally, several Republican senators—including outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and others—have yet to commit to supporting Patel.

However, Fetterman, who has been distancing himself from the progressive wing of his party, indicated that he is open to reviewing all of Trump’s nominees. He has been engaging with several of the president-elect’s more controversial selections, including Patel and Department of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth.

Fetterman mentioned that in his meeting with Patel, they discussed Patel’s heritage and legal background.

“I have met with all of [Trump’s nominees] so far, and the ones that we haven’t are on the schedule in January,” Fetterman shared, stating that he remains unfazed by criticism from his fellow party members.

“My commitment … is that I’m going to sit down and have a conversation. The president picked these people—they’re not going to be my first choice, second choice, third choice. But that’s democracy.

“There’s going to be some that I will vote yes, and there’s some, maybe, that I’ll vote no, but nobody can accuse me of [having] a closed mind, or [of saying] no because Trump picked this person, or whatever.”

Another uncertainty lingers regarding how Sen.-elect John Curtis (R-Utah) will vote on Patel’s nomination.

Curtis has made it clear during his campaign that he is willing to oppose Trump in the Senate. He also indicated that he would thoroughly vet nominees before making a decision on his vote. He stated he met with Patel and they discussed the issue of politically motivated prosecutions.

“For me, one of the most important things that I needed to hear from Kash is that he would be blind to political affiliation … and it was important to me that he goes after bad guys,” Curtis stated.

“I don’t care if they’re Republicans or Democrats … and I want to make sure that he would be blind to that.”

He did not disclose whether his meeting with Patel had addressed those concerns sufficiently.

A spokesperson for Patel did not respond to requests for comment.

Curtis and Fetterman both noted that they would monitor how Hegseth’s confirmation process unfolds.

Fetterman: ‘We Could Work Together’

Fetterman’s willingness to contemplate Trump’s more controversial picks positions him as a potential collaborator with the president-elect in the next Congress.

When asked what message he would convey to Trump following the president-elect’s win, Fetterman replied: “Well, congratulations, and … I would like to think we could work together; some things we’ll agree on and some we won’t.”

“I try … to remember that we have to find as many wins in the middle of an incredibly divisive time [as possible].”

While the practical implications of this stance remain unclear, both Fetterman and Trump share broadly populist views, suggesting Fetterman may be inclined to diverge from his party on key nominations.

In the upcoming Congress, Republicans will hold a 53-seat majority in the Senate, limiting their tolerance for defections on votes. However, Fetterman’s support could provide some leeway, allowing Republicans to weather potential absences from moderate senators like Cornyn, Murkowski, and Collins.

Fetterman resisted attempts from Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign and some media outlets to brand Trump as a “fascist.”

“That’s her prerogative, but it’s not a word that I would use, because many Democrats, especially in my state, whom I know and happen to love … [voted] for Trump, and they are not fascists,” Fetterman stated.

Historically, Fetterman has also advocated for Trump’s pardon concerning his criminal conviction in New York. The Pennsylvania Democrat aligns with Republican concerns that the charge was politically motivated.

Fetterman remarked that he has not yet communicated with Trump since the election, but his openness to engaging with Republicans suggests that extensive discussions are likely over the next four years.