By Steve Neavling
Former FBI Special Agent Daniel Brunner issued a stark warning about the potential appointment of Kash Patel as FBI director, should President-elect Donald Trump choose the loyalist and former Trump administration aide for the role.
“Putting someone like Kash Patel in the position of director of the FBI is, I believe, extremely, extremely dangerous because … his resume isn’t traditional,” Brunner said Sunday during an interview on CNN.
Brunner emphasized that Patel’s leadership could lead to the unjust firing of hundreds of employees. As director, Patel would oversee “tens of thousands” of staff, including special agents, analysts, and other federal law enforcement personnel.
“So, I think he’ll be very, very dangerous,” Brunner said.
Brunner also criticized Patel’s lack of leadership experience.
“He has no experience leading an organization, no less a Cub Scout pack,” he said.
Reports have emerged that Trump is considering firing current FBI Director Christopher Wray after taking office and may appoint Patel as his replacement. Patel, a key ally of Trump, served as chief of staff to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. He has defended Trump publicly and testified on the president-elect’s behalf against efforts to remove him from state ballots over his role in the Capitol attack.
In addition to advising Trump on national security issues, Patel serves as a board member for Trump’s media company.
“He will conduct a massive amount of damage to the interior of the FBI,” Brunner warned.
