Kash Patel appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing at the Capitol in Washington. AP
Kash Patel appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing at the Capitol in Washington. AP

Who is Kash Patel, Trump's pick for FBI director?



Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's nominee for the head of the FBI, on Thursday appeared before the Senate for his confirmation hearing, where he was grilled by senators on his experience and his belief in conspiracy theories.

If confirmed, the one-time aide to Mr Trump would oversee one of the largest US law enforcement agencies.

Mr Patel, 44, is the son of Gujarati Indian parents. He worked as a public defender in Florida before working as a lawyer for the Justice Department. He worked for the National Security Council during the first Trump administration, serving as deputy assistant to the President and senior director for counter-terrorism. Mr Patel also worked as an aide to the House Intelligence Committee.

The President's pick for FBI chief has alarmed critics with his rhetoric – in dozens of interviews and books he has written – in which he has demonstrated fealty to Mr Trump and assailed the decision-making of the agency he has now been asked to lead. He has also identified by name officials he believes should be investigated.

During his hearing, however, Mr Patel vowed not to go after political enemies. “I have no interest nor desire and will not, if confirmed, go backwards … there will be no politicisation at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken by the FBI,” he said.

Before his nomination, he railed against the FBI over its investigations into Mr Trump and claimed that rioters involved in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol had been mistreated by the Justice Department.

He has, however, said he did not agree with Mr Trump's decision to pardon all those involved in the riot. “I do not agree with the commutation of any sentence of any individual who committed violence against law enforcement,” Mr Patel said during his hearing.

Mr Patel has often spouted conspiracy theories and has also been accused of supporting QAnon views. The movement, based on a series of online posts from an anonymous government official, pushes the idea that Mr Trump is waging a secret war against the “deep state”.

In one podcast interview last year, Mr Patel said that if he were in charge of the FBI, he would “shut down” the bureau’s headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington and “reopen it the next day as a museum of the ‘deep state'“.

“And I’d take the 7,000 employees that work in that building and send them across America to go chase down criminals. Go be cops,” Mr Patel added.

In a 2022 interview, he said “the Q thing” is a movement “a lot of people attach themselves to” and that “I disagree with a lot of what that movement says, but I agree with a lot of what that movement says”.

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if you go

The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow. 
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes). 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

In numbers

1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:

  • 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
  • 150 tonnes to landfill
  • 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal

800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal

Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year

25 staff on site

 

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Name: Infinite8

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Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

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Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Updated: January 30, 2025, 6:41 PM