President-elect Donald Trump announcement from Kash Patel The nomination as the new FBI director continued to delegitimize strong opinions from experts and lawmakers during the Sunday shows.
In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump announced his intention to replace current FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom Trump hired during his first term. The media has since labeled Patel a “highly controversial choice” for his opposition to the “deep state.”
Left-wing commentators expressed concern about the politicization of the FBI and whether Patel would be a Trump “enforcer” who would “dismantle” the agency.
Former Obama administration official Juliette Kayyem claimed Patel was only picked to go after Trump’s political enemies.
Kash Patel, a longtime Trump ally, was nominated by the newly elected president on Saturday. (Getty Images)
KASH PATEL’S NOMINATION CREATES ENTHUSIASM, FEAR; THE FUTURE OF THE FBI APPEARS UNCERTAIN
“(Patel) has no agenda other than revenge. I mean, it’s not like he has a theory about law enforcement, a theory about reducing crime or financial crimes. He exists for one reason, and he is close to Trump for one reason, namely He will be the enforcer of what could be called a kind of revenge tour of this second term. So it’s not really a question of: what do I think or what should people think? He was appointed for this purpose,” Kayyem said.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., accused Trump of being outraged that Wray showed too much “independence” and “objectivity” in his work and denied any politicization by the current administration.
“I have not seen any evidence that the FBI has been weaponized against any political party or the Department of Justice. Of course, this Justice Department has filed charges against a Democratic U.S. Senator in New Jersey, a Democratic Congressman in Texas. And so some people just seem to think that it should only go in one direction. And if it isn’t, then it’s been politicized in some way. And I think that’s what they mean when they talk about politicization in the deep state. the depth No one has ever defined it. Apparently it just means anyone who doesn’t do Donald Trump’s will,” Raskin said on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also denied any politicization within the FBI and criticized Trump for wanting to replace Wray before his term ended.
Former Obama adviser Juliette Kayyem claimed Patel was only nominated to get revenge on Trump. (CNN screenshot)
“The current FBI director, Chris Wray, was actually appointed by Donald Trump. Joe Biden didn’t fire him,” Sullivan told Kristen Welker on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “He relied on him to carry out his responsibilities as director. the FBI, and allowed him to serve the full term of his term during the Biden administration. That’s how we approach things, and we want to ensure that the FBI remains an independent institution, insulated from politics.”
However, Republicans reacted more positively to Patel’s appointment.
“Donald Trump campaigned on reforming the FBI and the Justice Department, so I don’t know why all of this is frankly surprising to people… Trump has nominated in Kash Patel someone who has served as chief of staff at the Justice Department. Defense… deputy director of the NSI… senior staff member of the House Intelligence Committee. He was a federal prosecutor under the Obama administration, so he certainly has the necessary experience for this role,” New York Rep. Mike Lawler said on “State of the.” Union.”
He added: “The fact is that our justice system needs to be depoliticized, and unfortunately under the Biden administration we have seen it weaponized, and that is wrong.”
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas called Patel a good choice to “address partisan corruption at the FBI.”
“I think Kash Patel is a very strong candidate. I think the entire slate of Cabinet nominees that President Trump has put forward is very strong. I believe that all of these Cabinet nominees will be confirmed by the Senate. I think Kash Patel will be confirmed by the Senate. Look at his background. He has a serious, professional background,” Cruz said.
He added: “I have to say that all the crying and gnashing of teeth, all those people pulling out their hair, are the very people who are dismayed by the coming of real reform within the FBI and the cleansing of the corrupt partisans who have been unfortunately have dug into higher officials. career positions in the FBI.”
Patel’s nomination drew positive reactions from Republicans, but negative reactions from left-wing commentators. (Getty Images)
On Saturday evening, Andrew McCabe, who briefly served as acting FBI director under Trump in 2017 and was deputy director, went viral after he called Patel’s appointment “a plan to disrupt, dismantle and distract the FBI.”
“It is a terrible development for the men and women of the FBI as well as for the nation that depends on a functioning, professional, independent Federal Bureau of Investigation,” the spokesperson said. McCabe said on CNN. “The fact that Kash Patel is completely unsuitable for this job is not even an issue.”
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Wray currently has a 10-year tenure as FBI director, which expires in 2027. Wray will either have to resign or be fired before Patel can take his place. In a statement to Fox News digitalhas given the FBI no indication that Wray plans to resign.
“Every day, the men and women of the FBI continue to work to protect Americans from a growing range of threats,” the statement said. “Director Wray’s focus remains on the men and women of the FBI, the people we do the work with, and the people we do the work for.”
