FBI director Kash Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic this week, and to Seth Meyers, that’s just another sign Patel might actually be drunk.
Patel filed his suit on Monday, after a report last week from the publication that alleged his extensive drinking had impacted his performance, including episodes where his security detail had struggled to wake him up. So, the NBC host kicked off his monologue on Tuesday night by joking that Patel likely learned about his own lawsuit on Tuesday.
“Said Patel this morning, ‘Oh man, I did?’” Meyers quipped, pretending to be drunk.
The “Late Night” host then joked that Patel’s legal action might just be further proof of The Atlantic’s reporting.
“You’d have to be pretty drunk to think a print magazine can afford $250 million,” Meyers said.
The Atlantic’s report, which released on Friday, cited more than two dozen anonymous sources saying Patel is a frequent drinker, whose habits have sparked concern across the federal government, and may cost him his job.
Writer Sarah Fitzpatrick reported that Patel’s early days as head of the FBI included multiple instances of rescheduling meetings due to hangovers, and multiple incidents where his security detail had trouble waking him up. Since then, members of the Trump administration have discussed who could replace Patel, according to the story.
Though the headline on the story was eventually changed, an Atlantic spokesperson said in a statement: “We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit.”
You can watch Seth Meyers’ full monologue in the video above.
