Kash Patel hearing: FBI director nominee pressed on Jan. 6, conspiracy comments

President Trump's pick to lead the FBI faced his Senate confirmation hearing.

Last Updated: January 30, 2025, 3:54 PM EST

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's pick for FBI director, faced members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in his confirmation hearing Thursday.

Patel, a staunch Trump ally, was the acting deputy director of national intelligence during the last year of Trump's first presidency. He has said it's his mission to "annihilate" the so-called "Deep State" of "unelected tyrants" inside government.

Among his supporters, Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has called Patel's career "a study in fighting for unpopular but righteous causes, exposing corruption, and putting America First."

Top Headlines

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Jan 30, 2025, 11:14 AM EST

Sen. Whitehouse sounds alarm about Patel's nomination

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. continued to press Patel in blistering terms over President Trump's sweeping pardons for Jan. 6 rioters.

The senator then pressed Patel directly, using quotes from past podcast appearances and memes posted on his social media profiles.

"Here's what this nominee himself has said about using his office to prosecute journalists: 'We will go out and find the conspirators, not just in government but in the media. We're going to come after you, whether it's criminally or civilly.' Is that a correct quotation, Mr. Patel?" Whitehouse asked.

"In part," Patel ultimately answered.

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's choice to be director of the FBI, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 30, 2025.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Patel further sought to distance himself from a meme he previously re-shared on Truth Social showing him taking a chainsaw to his political enemies, claiming he "had nothing to do with the creation" of the meme.

Whitehouse then summed up, in scathing terms, what he argued Patel's nomination could mean for the future of the FBI and the nonpartisan enforcement of the law.

"There is an unfathomable difference between a seeming facade being constructed around this nominee here today and what he has actually done and said in real life when left to his own devices," he said.

Jan 30, 2025, 11:11 AM EST

Patel asked about past association with Laura Loomer

Sen. Durbin questioned Patel over his past association with far-right extremist figures, including Laura Loomer -- who has regularly peddled conspiracy theories and racist tropes to attack those opposed to President Trump.

When asked about a picture showing Patel and Loomer together at an event promoting one of Patel's previous books, Patel declined to criticize Loomer directly but said he rejected any suggestion of "guilt by association."

"I don't believe I'm guilty by association, and I certainly don't believe that an individual who is the first minority to serve as a Deputy Director of National Intelligence for this country is a racist in any way. And I detest any conjecture to the contrary," he said.

Jan 30, 2025, 10:52 AM EST

Patel pushes back on Durbin regarding Jan. 6

Sen. Durbin continued to press Patel on issues related to Jan. 6.

He noted that one of the Jan. 6 defendants granted clemency by President Trump's recent broad action committed violence against police on Jan. 6 and after his release was shot by police when he pulled a gun. Durbin pressed Patel over whether Trump was wrong to give such blanket clemency.

Patel seemed to publicly break with Trump, to a point, saying, "I have always rejected any violence against law enforcement ... and I do not agree with the commutation of any sentence of any individual who committed violence against law enforcement."

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's choice to be director of the FBI, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 30, 2025.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP

The nominee added he has "always advocated for imprisoning those who caused harm" to law enforcement and civilians.

Durbin also pressed Patel on his role in the "J6 choir," the group of jailed Jan. 6 defendants who raised funds by releasing a song from jail.

Patel insisted that he just helped raise funds for only nonviolent offenders, but he also said he didn't know who actually sang on the recording that was released.

Jan 30, 2025, 10:44 AM EST

Patel addresses QAnon comments

Sen. Grassley sought to rebut expected questioning from Democrats of past quotes from Patel that appeared favorable to the "QAnon" conspiracy movement -- which previously surfaced during Pam Bondi's confirmation hearing for attorney general.

Bondi, during that hearing, notably answered that Patel would have to answer for himself the comments he made with respect to QAnon.

"I have publicly, including in the interview provided to this committee, rejected outright QAnon's baseless conspiracy theories or any other baseless conspiracy theories," Patel said.