When talk started spreading around Washington, D.C., that the Trump administration was considering Kash Patel as the incoming FBI director, media across the nation began digging for as much information as possible. As concerning details trickled in, many started worrying about how Patel would handle the job. Well, we’ve just received an update: He’s apparently still celebrating the gig — by hardly ever leaving the nightclubs.
MSNBC invited former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi to discuss the latest Trump administration developments. Figliuzzi first expressed concern about the growing responsibilities on Marco Rubio’s docket within the administration, noting that crucial matters may now be slipping through the cracks in vital national security organs. The conversation then naturally flowed to what’s going on with FBI Director Kash Patel and how he’s settling into the role.
As readers may remember, when Patel first emerged as a front-runner for the FBI position, concern swept through the intelligence community. Firstly, because Patel was clearly abandoning the nonpartisan approach of his predecessors. And even more troubling, he had entertained conspiracy theories — including those from QAnon — on various podcasts. From the start, it seemed his entire role would be reimagined, with a focus on targeting Trump’s critics.
He didn’t waste time in that role. Since taking office, the FBI has arrested Judge Hannah Dugan for allegedly helping an undocumented individual avoid apprehension by ICE. The Guardian is already calling the move a bid to silence dissent. Patel’s tenure has even begun turning inward, with some agents now redeployed for kneeling with protesters during the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement. Figliuzzi noted that the FBI’s job is to protect civil rights and de-escalate such situations. But it seems that role has now been abandoned.
That discussion led to Figliuzzi’s bombshell: Patel has been “more visible at nightclubs than on the seventh floor of the Hoover Building.” Figliuzzi added that Patel’s daily briefings have been reduced from daily to twice a week. The MSNBC host made matters worse, revealing that some insiders claim Patel works from his Las Vegas home most of the week. Considering Elon Musk has taken the same route with DOGE, it seems the government is once again pro-remote work.
Patel came in with grandiose — yet ridiculous — promises. At one point, he even suggested shutting down the Hoover Building and turning it into a museum showcasing the “deep state.” At another, vague promises emerged about criminalizing Habitat for Humanity.
Figliuzzi, however, saw a silver lining in this Trump-era development. He believes Patel is too inexperienced to run the FBI and is better off letting agents carry the real load. But on the flip side, Figliuzzi also says Patel’s approach could be a “curse” since he’ll have to make tough decisions at some point. And the fact that Patel is “not plugged in” means that, come the hour, things might not unfold as they should. Figliuzzi simply stated that “things could be bad.”
And as for the one rhyming word he keeps hearing from former intelligence colleagues about the FBI’s new leadership? “Chaos!”
How ominous.
Published: May 3, 2025 09:38 am