FBI Director Kash Patel touted his leadership of the nation鈥檚 top federal law enforcement agency as he faced questions from senators about the investigation into Charlie Kirk鈥檚 killing, the case against sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the firings of senior FBI officials who have accused Patel of illegal political retribution.
His appearance Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee represents the first oversight hearing of Patel鈥檚 young but tumultuous tenure and provides a high-stakes platform for him to confront skeptical Democrats at a time of internal upheaval and mounting concerns about political violence inside the United States, which President Donald Trump has squarely blamed on the left. Patel listed a series of what he said were accomplishments of his first months on the job, including his efforts to fight violent crime and protect children.
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Patel refuses to address FBI firings
Questioned by Durbin on the recent firings of FBI agents, Patel said he would not get into personnel decisions and accused the Democrat of unfairly attacking FBI leadership.
Earlier in the hearing, Patel called it 鈥渁bsolutely disgraceful鈥 to cite what the FBI director described as a 鈥渙ne-sided story鈥 about the firings.
鈥淵our attack on the current leadership of the men and women of the FBI is equally disgraceful,鈥 the FBI director told Durbin.
Patel is facing a lawsuit from three high-ranking FBI officials who have accused him of illegally firing them in a 鈥渃ampaign of retribution.鈥
Trump says US strikes have now destroyed three boats suspected of carrying drugs from Venezuela
鈥淲e knocked off, actually, three boats not two,鈥 Trump told reporters when asked about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro鈥檚 angry response to U.S. military operations that the White House says is targeting Venezuelan drug smugglers.
Trump had confirmed earlier that the U.S. military on Monday had targeted a second boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing three aboard the vessel. He also hinted that the military targeting of cartels could be further expanded.
The White House did not immediately respond to questions about when and where the third strike occurred.
Trump also sent a new warning to the Maduro government on Tuesday:
鈥淪top sending Tren de Aragua to the United States,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淪top sending drugs into the United States.鈥
Patel declines to provide legal justification for strikes on Venezuelan boats
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is a close ally of Trump, asked the FBI director what legal justification the administration is using for military strikes on Venezuelan boats that the president has said are carrying drugs.
Patel declined to answer, saying he would leave that to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
While Republicans in Congress haven鈥檛 objected to Trump using the U.S. military to strike the boats, some are beginning to ask questions on how the operations are conducted and their legal justification.
Still, Graham expressed support for an aggressive approach to nations where drugs are manufactured.
鈥淲e will hunt down every single one of those narco-traffickers,鈥 Patel told Graham.
Patel says investigation into pipe bombs on Jan. 6, 2021, is 鈥榦ngoing鈥
Durbin asked Patel about statements from Dan Bongino before he became deputy director of the FBI that the bombs found at the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee on Jan. 6, 2021, were an 鈥渋nside job.鈥
The FBI director declined to comment on Bongino鈥檚 comments, but said he found Durbin鈥檚 criticism of Bongino 鈥渄isgusting.鈥
鈥淪o you have no evidence?鈥 asked Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
鈥淚 got a lot of evidence, and I鈥檒l give it to you when I can,鈥 Patel said.
The person who placed the bombs just before the attack on the U.S. Capitol that day has never been identified.
Patel spars with Durbin over Epstein files
During one combative exchange, Patel was pressed by the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee over an unsigned memo released by the Justice Department in July that said there was no evidence of a Jeffrey Epstein 鈥渃lient list.鈥
Patel responded with a dig at former President Joe Biden, telling Durbin: 鈥淲ould you have preferred I used autopen?鈥
Republicans have accused the Democratic president of signing pardons in this final days in the White House with an autopen instead of by his own hand.
Patel avoids answering questions on polygraph tests in tense exchange
The Senate hearing is quickly becoming tense, with the FBI director repeatedly avoiding answering questions from Sen. Durbin on how the bureau has administered polygraph tests to staff.
Patel told Durbin, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, that he wouldn鈥檛 discuss the specifics of how polygraph tests are administered or what questions come up.
Durbin responded, 鈥淵ou have to have a decent memory when you come before a committee.鈥
The Associated Press has previously reported that agents and senior executives alike have been subjected to polygraph exams aimed at ferreting out disclosures of information related to Patel.
Epstein comes up early
Patel brought up the Epstein files in his opening statement, seeking to address a topic that鈥檚 brought criticism from some quarters of Trump鈥檚 conservative base who want to see more information released about the probe.
The FBI director faulted the original case against Jeffrey Epstein that ended in a plea deal years ago. He says it involved a 鈥渧ery limited search warrant鈥 and asserted that the Trump administration has done more to release all 鈥渃redible information鈥 they could under the law.
Patel also said Epstein had not been a source for the FBI.
He didn鈥檛 acknowledge criticism that the FBI and Justice Department have faced in recent months over the abrupt announcement in July that they would not be releasing additional documents from their trove of evidence.
Trump welcomes Georgia Supreme Court decision in elections case against him
The state鈥檚 high court on Tuesday declined to hear Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis鈥 appeal of her removal from the case.
Trump reacted to the news by saying it was a 鈥済reat decision鈥 and a 鈥渞igged case to start off with.鈥
He also called for Willis to be jailed for attempting to prosecute him and several other individuals.
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Patel projects defiance
Patel has concluded his opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee with a bit of a challenge for his critics: 鈥淚鈥檓 not going anywhere.鈥
The FBI director pointed to his experience as a congressional staffer and Trump administration official, saying, 鈥淚f you want to criticize my 16 years of service, please bring it on.鈥
Senate Republicans have continued to express confidence in Patel despite criticism from some conservative commentators of how he鈥檚 led the FBI鈥檚 response to the killing of Charlie Kirk.
Democrats, meanwhile, will intensely question Patel over what they say is a highly politicized approach to the FBI.
Trump says Robert Redford was 鈥榞reat鈥
The president reacted to news of the famed actor鈥檚 death and said he made 鈥渟even or eight great movies.鈥
鈥淗e had a series of years where, there was nobody better,鈥 he said.
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Durbin calls for lower 鈥榯emperature鈥 after Kirk鈥檚 death
The Illinois Democrat says both political parties 鈥渉ave a responsibility to bring down the temperature鈥 and encourage unity following Kirk鈥檚 killing.
In his opening remarks earlier in the hearing, Durbin said Democrats are not responsible for Kirk鈥檚 death, just as Republicans are not responsible for the killing of a Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota earlier this year.
The country is going through a period of division and political violence, he said, but 鈥淩epublicans are not Nazis, Democrats are not evil.鈥
Patel touts shift of FBI to target violent crime
Patel鈥檚 opening remarks highlighted his efforts to transform the bureau to focus on combating violent crime.
Patel said the FBI has arrested more than 23,000 violent criminals this year 鈥 an increase compared with last year. He also touted the FBI鈥檚 efforts to target drug trafficking and violent drug cartels.
Critics have raised concerns that the focus on immigration enforcement and violent crime could divert attention from the FBI鈥檚 ability to focus on matters like counterterrorism.
Patel gives a timeline of FBI鈥檚 response to Kirk shooting
He has faced some criticism from conservative corners about how he has led the FBI in the wake of the shooting, but Patel told the Senate panel that his agency 鈥 鈥渁t my direction鈥 鈥 successfully brought the suspect in Charlie Kirk鈥檚 killing into custody.
He also has touted the number of arrests made by the FBI, saying it represents an increase from the Biden administration.
鈥淲e are leading the mission to crush violent crime and defend the homeland,鈥 Patel said.
Trump warns Hamas not use hostages as human shields as Israel鈥檚 Gaza City operation begins
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to see what happens, because I hear Hamas is trying to use the old human shield deal. And if they do that, they鈥檙e going to be in big trouble,鈥 Trump said.
Trump in a Monday post on Truth Social said that he had read a news report indicating that Hamas would use the captives as 鈥渉uman shields.鈥
The Israeli military began a on Tuesday, slowly squeezing in on the Palestinian territory鈥檚 largest city that has seen block after block already destroyed in the Israel-Hamas war. Residents still in the city The push marks yet another escalation in a conflict that has roiled the Middle East as any potential ceasefire feels even further out of reach despite months of diplomacy.
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Trump calls King Charles III, Queen Camilla friends as he prepares to depart for U.K.
The president said, 鈥渢hey鈥檝e been friends of mine for a long time,鈥 called the king an 鈥渆legant gentleman鈥 and said, 鈥淚 think he represents the country so well.鈥
The president, speaking as he was leaving the White House, said that U.K. officials want to continue trade negotiations during his coming visit.
鈥淭hey鈥檇 like to see if they can get a little bit better deal, so we鈥檒l talk to them鈥 he said.
Durbin says Patel came to FBI with a 鈥榩olitical mission鈥
The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dick Durbin, opened his remarks by criticizing Patel for the removal of career FBI officials and the diversion of agents to help with immigration enforcement.
Durbin called Patel 鈥渁rguably the most partisan FBI director ever,鈥 saying he has 鈥渁lready inflicted untold damage on the FBI.鈥 Durbin accused Patel of putting the country鈥檚 鈥渘ational security and public safety at risk.鈥
Grassley lists GOP criticism of past FBI probes
The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee opened the hearing by running through a list of GOP criticisms of FBI investigations related to politics.
Those ranged from the prosecution of White House adviser Peter Navarro for his response to a congressional subpoena, to the probe into Hillary Clinton鈥檚 use of a private email server.
He also pledged to release new whistleblower records.
Kash Patel hearing kicks off
Republican Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley opened the hearing expressing sympathy for the fatal shooting last week of Charlie Kirk, which is under FBI investigation.
Grassley decried Kirk鈥檚 鈥減olitical assassination,鈥 calling Kirk a 鈥渕an of God, faith, family and country.鈥
Suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting likely to face charges Tuesday
Prosecutors are preparing to file a capital murder charge Tuesday against the Utah man who authorities say held a 鈥渓eftist ideology鈥 and may have been 鈥渞adicalized鈥 online before he was arrested in .
Charges against 22-year-old are expected to come ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 first court hearing since he was accused last week of shooting Kirk, a conservative activist credited with and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.
Wall Street mostly higher ahead of retail sales data and Fed interest rate decision
U.S. indices were mostly higher early Tuesday after Wall Street set new records and investor expectation grew that the Federal Reserve will announce its first interest rate cut of 2025 on Wednesday.
S&P 500 futures rose 0.2% before the bell Tuesday while Big Tech stocks pulled Nasdaq futures 0.3% higher. Futures for the Dow Jones industrials were unchanged.
Oracle shares jumped 5% on speculation it would play a major part in the U.S.-China deal to keep TikTok operating in the U.S. after the Trump administration announced the framework of a trade deal on Monday.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said after between the world鈥檚 two largest economies that Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping would speak Friday to .
Retail sales up 0.6% in August from July even as tariffs hurt jobs and lead to price hikes
Shoppers increased their spending at a better-than-expected pace in August from July, helped by back-to-school purchases, even as Trump鈥檚 are starting to hurt the job market and lead to price hikes.
Retail sales rose 0.6% last month from July, when sales were up a revised 0.6%, according to the Commerce Department鈥檚 report. The performance, announced Tuesday, was also likely helped by the continued efforts by Americans to keep pushing up purchases ahead of expected price increases, and higher prices could be bolstering the number as well.
Georgia Supreme Court declines to hear Fani Willis鈥 appeal in Trump election case
Citing an 鈥渁ppearance of impropriety鈥 created by a romantic relationship Fulton County District Attorney had with , the Georgia Court of Appeals had ruled that she and her office not continue to prosecute the case. case against Donald Trump and others.
Steve Sadow, Trump鈥檚 attorney in the Georgia case, said in a statement that Willis 鈥渄eserved nothing less than disqualification.鈥 A spokesperson for Willis did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment.
The decision means it will be up to the to find another prosecutor, who could continue on the track that Willis has taken, decide to pursue only some charges or dismiss the case altogether.
US designates Colombia uncooperative in drug war
The Trump administration has added Colombia to a list of nations for the first time in nearly three decades. The move reflects a decade-long boom in cocaine production in Colombia. Trump said Monday that the military had separately targeted a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, .
Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Trump鈥檚 actions are 鈥渁 dangerous assault on our Constitution鈥 that could plunge the United States into another needless war.鈥
鈥淣o president can secretly wage war or carry out unjustified killings 鈥 that is authoritarianism, not democracy,鈥 Reed said in a statement. 鈥淭hese reckless, unauthorized operations not only put American lives at risk, they threaten to ignite a war with Venezuela that would drag our nation into a conflict we did not choose. The American people deserve to know what is being done in their name and why,鈥 he said.
US and China reach framework deal on TikTok
After between the world鈥檚 top two economies concluded in Madrid, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at a news conference that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would speak Friday to . He said the objective of the deal would be to switch to U.S. ownership.
Qatar鈥檚 emir and Rubio discuss the Israeli attack on Hamas in Doha
Qatar said Tuesday its ruling emir spoke to the U.S. secretary of state about defense cooperation and the 鈥渃onsequences of the Israeli attack on Doha.鈥
Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar鈥檚 Foreign Ministry, gave the readout of the talks between Rubio and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The two men also spoke about mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, he added, while harshly criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the attack last week on Doha that killed six people.
鈥淚f Prime Minister Netanyahu wants peace, he knew the road to peace a long time ago. He just decided not to go through it, and he decided to mediate in bad fate,鈥 al-Ansari said. 鈥淎nd therefore, the questions about the fate of their mediation should be asked of he who is bombing the mediators and those who he is talking with on the negotiating table.鈥
Trump says he favors labeling antifa domestic terrorist organization
The president said Monday that he would favor labeling antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.
鈥淚 would do that, 100 percent,鈥 Trump said during a question-and-answer session with reporters in the Oval Office. He added: 鈥淎ntifa is terrible.鈥
Antifa, short for 鈥渁nti-fascists,鈥 is an umbrella term for far-left militant groups.
Trump鈥檚 previous FBI director, Christopher Wray, said in testimony in 2020 that antifa is an ideology, not an organization, lacking the hierarchical structure that would usually allow it to be designated as a terror group by the federal government.
