President Donald Trump’s FBI Director, Kash Patel, is under fire from multiple directions after a bombshell report from The Atlantic accused him of excessive drinking, erratic behavior, and creating what sources described as a national security risk. All of this has ignited calls for his resignation, legal battles, and even more scrutiny over how the longtime Trump loyalist built his fortune.
What Happens Next
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer publicly called for Patel to resign, while Senator Dick Durbin joined him in demanding that the FBI and Department of Justice preserve records tied to the allegations. In an open letter to Acting Attorney General Blanche, the senators wrote, “The American people deserve an FBI Director who is temperate, steady, sober, and on the job, not someone who disappears behind locked doors when the country needs him most.”
They added, “If even a fraction of this is true, the person leading our nation’s premier law-enforcement agency is an unacceptable national-security risk.”
The controversy exploded after Atlantic investigative reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick published a report based on more than two dozen sources alleging Patel drank heavily and was at times unreachable while serving in one of the nation’s most sensitive security roles. One reported incident claimed breaching equipment had to be ordered when Patel was locked inside a room and failed to respond to concerns about his wellbeing.
Patel has strongly denied the allegations and is fighting back legally.
On April 20, he filed a massive $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic, accusing the publication of trying to destroy his reputation. His legal team argued the magazine crossed the line by publishing “false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office.”
Another of his lawsuits was dismissed.
A Houston federal judge dismissed on April 21 another defamation lawsuit Patel filed against former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi, who had joked on MSNBC that Patel had “been visible at nightclubs far more than he has been on the seventh floor of the Hoover building.”
U.S. District Court Judge George Hanks Jr. ruled that the comment was not defamation, writing, “Figliuzzi’s statement is rhetorical hyperbole that cannot constitute defamation.”
While Patel battles public criticism and courtroom losses, attention has also turned to his growing personal wealth.
According to Business Insider, Patel’s net worth is estimated at nearly $6 million, though an Associated Press review of his financial disclosures suggested it could be as high as $15 million depending on how his assets are valued.
Much of that money came after he entered Trump’s political circle.
Before becoming MAGA, Patel worked as a public defender and later as a Justice Department prosecutor. His rise accelerated during Trump’s first administration, where he served in national security and intelligence roles before becoming one of Trump’s most vocal supporters.
His consulting firm, Trishul LLC, became a major source of income. In 2024 alone, Patel earned more than $2.1 million through consulting work involving national security, defense, and intelligence. Clients reportedly included Trump Media & Technology Group, the Embassy of Qatar, and Save America, Trump’s leadership PAC.
Patel also earned substantial income from books and speaking appearances.
His books, including 2023’s “Government Gangsters” and his 2022 children’s series “The Plot Against the King,” brought in royalty income. Financial disclosures showed he earned between $100,000 and $1 million from “Government Gangsters,” while the children’s books added tens of thousands more.
Media appearances and speaking engagements added another estimated $306,000, including nearly $99,000 as a contributor for The Epoch Times.
His investments also boosted his wealth. Patel holds a stake in Elite Depot, the Cayman Islands-based parent company of Shein, valued between $1 million and $5 million. Shein is a Chinese-founded fast-fashion company headquartered in Singapore, whose ultimate parent company, Elite Depot Ltd., is registered in the Cayman Islands. Patel also disclosed holdings in Bitcoin ETFs, Nvidia, Palantir, Rumble, and other assets.
That foreign business activity has caused ethics concerns, PBS reports.
Patel’s nonprofit, the Kash Foundation, has also faced scrutiny. Tax filings showed it raised nearly $1.3 million in 2023 but spent only a fraction directly on its stated mission while spending heavily on advertising and promotion. Founded in 2021, its mission is to support government transparency, whistleblowers, veterans, law enforcement, and education-related causes.
