You are a political buffoon at best’: FBI director loses it during Senate hearing and throws out insults before order is brought

FBI Director Kash Patel unleashed a torrent of insults at Senator Adam Schiff during a heated Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, turning a discussion about the Epstein files into a deeply personal confrontation. The exchange escalated quickly as Schiff pressed Patel on the handling of Ghislaine Maxwell’s transfer to a lower-security prison after she spoke with the Justice Department.

According to The Hill, Schiff questioned whether Patel had insight into the move, expressing disbelief that the Bureau of Prisons would make such a decision independently and unrelated to Maxwell’s interview. “Do you think they’re stupid?” Schiff asked, questioning the narrative presented to the American people. Patel immediately lost his nerve.

Patel accused Schiff of being a liar in the Russiagate and January 6th investigations and calling him “the biggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate” and “an utter coward”. Patel asserted that his job was to protect “the weaponization of intelligence from the likes of you”. He further stated, “I’m not surprised that you continue to lie from your perch and put on a show so you can go raise money for your charade. You are a political buffoon at best”. Patel also added that Schiff only cared about a “child sex predator that was prosecuted by a prior administration,” implying that it didn’t matter to any politicians before.

FBI Director Patel throws insults at a senator for asking questions

The hearing, which was already combative, saw Chairman Chuck Grassley repeatedly slam his gavel as ranking member Dick Durbin urged him to regain control of the situation. Grassley eventually shouted for both senators to be quiet. You’ll also notice that Patel never actually said anything about Maxwell’s move, completely avoiding the question.

Following the exchange, Schiff suggested on X that Patel’s outburst was an attempt to save his job, stating, “The hard-working men and women of the FBI deserve a Director who isn’t just performing for an audience of one”.

This confrontation wasn’t the only heated moment for Director Patel during the hearing. He also engaged in a shouting match with Senator Cory Booker. Booker said, “Because of your failures of leadership, I don’t think you’re fit to lead the bureau. Here’s the thing, Mr. Patel, I think you’re not going to be around long. I think this might be your last full oversight hearing. Because as much as you supplicate yourself to the will of Donald Trump and not the constitution of the United States of America, Donald Trump has shown us in his first term, and in this term, he is not loyal to people like you. He will cut you loose… This may be the last time I have a hearing with you, because I don’t think you’re long for your job,” Booker said.

The administration has also launched a probe into Schiff concerning alleged improprieties with lending conditions for his home, a claim Schiff denies and attributes to political motivation as a Trump adversary. President Trump himself has frequently targeted Schiff with insults, particularly given Schiff’s role in his first impeachment.