ON FOX FIRST: Senator Thom Tillis, R-N.C., seeks answers from the FBI following a selection by newly elected President Donald Trump to lead, the agency was reportedly targeted by Iranian hackers.
“That an Iranian-backed group has targeted the potential next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is extremely alarming. Also alarming is the speed at which sensitive and potentially classified information about this attack is spreading to the news media,” the spokesperson said. The North Carolina senator wrote a letter to FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate on Monday.
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Thom Tillis, left, questioned the FBI about a reported cyberattack on Kash Patel and how quickly the media learned about it. (Reuters)
It was recently reported by several outlets week that Kash Patelwhom Trump has selected as his nominee for FBI director in his new administration, was the target of an Iranian hacking attempt.
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In response to reports of the hacking attempt, Trump Transition spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer told Fox News Digital: “Kash Patel was a key part of the first Trump administration’s efforts against the terrorist Iranian regime and as FBI Director will implement President Trump’s policies to protect America from adversaries.”
Patel met with senators on the Hill. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
In his letter, Tillis pointed to several law enforcement sources who apparently communicated with news publications.
“As you know, it is imperative that the FBI and other intelligence agencies maintain confidentiality to ensure that the American people are safe from enemies at home and abroad. The release of this information raises significant national security and personal safety concerns,” he wrote.
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Tillis asked Abbate how the information came out. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The Republican asked Abbate a series of questions, including whether FBI employees shared information about the cyberattack with the media or with third parties who could have given it to the media.
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The FBI told Fox News Digital that it had received the letter but had no further comment.
Patel has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill and meeting with senators as he looks to shore up support before Trump is inaugurated in January.
