Kash Patel “absolutely” plans to file a lawsuit against The Atlantic on Monday, he told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.” Patel has been on a mission against the outlet since its April 17 bombshell report claimed his “excessive drinking” was impacting his job performance as director of the FBI.
“If the fake news mafia isn’t hitting you personally with baseless information in Washington, D.C., then you’re not doing your job,” Patel told Bartiromo. “And it’s louder than ever because this FBI, under President Trump’s brilliant leadership in backing the blue, and backing law enforcement.”
“They can beat their drums, and stand next to toxic waste all they want, but that doesn’t make it toxic waste,” Patel also said. “And Maria, I’m happy to announce on your show that we’re not going to take this laying down. You want to attack my character? Come at me! Bring it on! I’ll see you in court!”
After he clarified the lawsuit will be filed on Monday, Patel added it will be for defamation. “Because you know what, Maria? We have to fight back against the fake news… I won’t tolerate their attacks on me because they are indirect attacks on the men and women of the FBI,” he added. “If the fake news mafia wants to, you know, ring their drum beat as loud as they can, they’re never going to stop me from completing the mission that President Trump asked me to do, which is safeguarding America.”
The Atlantic’s article detailed a director allegedly in turmoil, who has maded panicked calls to aides and has “freak[ed] out” after he believed he was locked out of a computer system. The outlet also reported on “excessive bouts of drinking” that have allegedly impacted his performance, and journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick said Patel is on the list of people likely to be fired.
FBI communication strategist Erica Knight quickly insisted via X “every real DC reporter chased, couldn’t verify, and passed on” the story in question.
“Here’s reality. Since being sworn in, Director Patel has taken a grand total of 17 days off — half as much time off as Comey and Wray — and he spends twice as much time in the office as either of them ever did. The so-called ‘intoxication incidents’ The Atlantic breathlessly reports have happened exactly ZERO times,” Knight also wrote.
She continued: “Under his tenure: 67,000 arrests nationwide. Violent crime arrests up 112%. Murder rate down 20%. 1,800 criminal gangs dismantled. 2,200+ kilos of fentanyl seized — enough to kill 178 million Americans. 300 human traffickers arrested. 6,200+ missing children recovered. 1,700 online predators arrested — a 490% increase. 8 of the Top Ten Most Wanted captured, double the previous four years combined. 1,000+ agents redeployed from DC bureaucracy back to field offices chasing criminals.”
“See you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court,” Patel also warned Friday night. “But do keep at it with the fake news, actual malice standard is now what some would call a legal lay up.”
However, Fitzpatrick stood by her reporting Friday evening during an appearance on Jen Psaki’s MS NOW show.
“I am a very careful, very diligent, award-winning investigative reporter with a history of award-winning work across multiple organizations,” Fitzpatrick said on “The Briefing.” “I stand by every word of this reporting. We have excellent attorneys.”
