Kash Patel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kash Patel
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Official portrait, 2025
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| 9th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation | |
| Assumed office February 21, 2025 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Dan Bongino Andrew Bailey |
| Preceded by | Christopher A. Wray |
| Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives | |
| In office February 24, 2025 – April 10, 2025 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Marvin G. Richardson |
| Succeeded by | Daniel P. Driscoll |
| Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Defense | |
| In office November 29, 2020 – January 20, 2021 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Secretary of Defense | Christopher C. Miller |
| Preceded by | Jennifer M. Stewart |
| Succeeded by | Kelly Magsamen |
| Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence | |
| In office February 20, 2020 – May 13, 2020 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Andrew P. Hallman |
| Succeeded by | Neil Wiley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kashyap Pramod Patel
February 25, 1980 Garden City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education |
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Kashyap Pramod Patel (born February 25, 1980) is an American lawyer. He has served as the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since February 2025. Before this, Patel was the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from February to April 2025.
Patel studied criminal justice and history at the University of Richmond. He later earned a law degree from the Pace University School of Law. He started his career as a public defender in Florida. He then worked as a federal prosecutor for the United States Department of Justice.
In 2017, Patel became an aide to Representative Devin Nunes. He worked on the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He helped write a report that raised questions about how an FBI investigation was handled. Later, he joined the United States National Security Council. He also served as the principal deputy director of national intelligence. In 2020, he became the chief of staff to the acting United States Secretary of Defense, Christopher C. Miller.
After 2021, Patel worked on various business projects. He also wrote children's books. In November 2024, President Donald Trump nominated him to lead the FBI. He was confirmed by the United States Senate in February 2025.
Contents
Early Life and Education (1980–2005)
Kashyap Pramod Patel was born on February 25, 1980, in Garden City, New York. His father, Pramod Patel, was from Uganda. He was among many people of Indian descent who were forced to leave Uganda in 1972. The Patel family briefly lived in India. They then moved to Canada before settling in the United States.
Patel grew up in a large family and was raised Hindu. As a young person, he enjoyed playing ice hockey. He later coached a youth hockey league. He attended Garden City High School.
He graduated from the University of Richmond in 2002. He earned degrees in criminal justice and history. He also received a certificate in international law from University College London. In 2005, he completed his law degree at the Pace University School of Law.
Legal and Government Career (2006–2020)
Public Defender and Federal Prosecutor (2005–2017)
Patel began his legal career in the Miami-Dade area of Florida. He worked as a public defender, helping people who could not afford a lawyer. He handled cases involving serious crimes. Later, he became a federal public defender.
In 2012, Patel joined the United States Department of Justice. He started as a junior staff member. By 2013, he was a prosecutor in the National Security Division. He also worked in the Counterterrorism Division. He left the Department of Justice in 2017.
House Committee Aide (2017–2019)
In April 2017, Patel started working for the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. This committee was led by Representative Devin Nunes. As an aide, Patel helped investigate various matters. He was a key author of a report known as the Nunes memo. This report raised questions about how an FBI investigation was conducted.
National Security Council and Intelligence Roles (2019–2020)
In February 2019, Patel joined the United States National Security Council. This group advises the President on national security and foreign policy. He worked in a department that focused on international organizations.
In 2020, Patel became a senior advisor to the acting Director of National Intelligence. He later served as the principal deputy director of national intelligence. He helped review and make changes to the office's staff. He returned to the National Security Council in May 2020.
Patel was involved in a hostage rescue mission in Nigeria in 2020. He also traveled to Damascus to discuss the release of American citizens held captive.
Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (2020–2021)
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In November 2020, Patel was appointed chief of staff to Christopher C. Miller. Miller was the acting United States Secretary of Defense. Patel had worked with Miller before at the National Security Council.
Patel helped manage the United States Department of Defense's transition efforts. There were some challenges during the transition period. He was also involved in discussions about security at the U.S. Capitol around the time of the January 6 events.
During this period, there were discussions about changes in leadership at some government agencies.
Between Trump's Presidencies (2021–2025)
Work and Activities
After President Trump left office in January 2021, Patel started a consulting company called Trishul. He also founded The Kash Foundation. This nonprofit organization helps people with legal costs related to events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
Patel was named to the board of Trump Media & Technology Group in April 2022. He also worked as a national security advisor for Donald Trump. He made frequent appearances on various podcasts and talk shows.
In 2022, Patel published a children's book called The Plot Against the King. He later wrote two more books in the series. He also wrote a memoir titled Government Gangsters in 2023.
He was asked to provide information to investigators regarding government documents. He appeared before a grand jury to answer questions. Questions were also raised about his business dealings.
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (2025–Present)
Nomination and Confirmation
In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Kash Patel as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The previous director, Christopher A. Wray, agreed to resign in December.
Patel appeared before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary in January 2025. During his hearing, some senators raised questions about his testimony and potential conflicts of interest. He was asked about his views on the 2020 presidential election.
On February 20, 2025, the United States Senate confirmed Patel's nomination with a 51–49 vote. He was sworn in the next day by Attorney General Pam Bondi. Patel took his oath on the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture. He is the first person of South Asian descent to lead the FBI.
Initial Actions and Changes
After becoming director, Patel announced plans to make changes within the FBI. He stated his intention to move 1,000 agents from Washington, D.C., to other field offices. These offices are in cities with higher crime rates. He also planned to reassign 500 staff members to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
Patel also proposed altering the bureau's physical fitness test. He expressed interest in joining the FBI's hockey team. In March, he directed most of the FBI's field offices to report to branch directors instead of the deputy director. He also made changes to some of the FBI's internal teams.
In February 2025, Patel was also named the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. He served in this role until April 2025, when he was replaced by Daniel P. Driscoll.
By April, Patel was noted for being very visible in his new role. In May, he advocated for reducing the FBI's budget. He also announced that the FBI would move into new office space in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. He stated that the FBI would focus on combating violent crime and protecting national security. He also lowered recruitment standards to help the bureau fight crime more directly.
Books
Patel has written three children's books. These books are inspired by his political views. The Plot Against the King, a storybook, was published in 2022. He later wrote The Plot Against the King: 2000 Mules (2022). He released The Plot Against the King 3: The Return of the King after the 2024 presidential election. In 2023, Patel wrote Government Gangsters, a memoir about his experiences in government.
Images for kids
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Patel (far right) in a press conference on crime in Washington, D.C. in August 2025
See also
In Spanish: Kash Patel para niños
