FBI Director Kash Patel was confronted by Fox News host Lawrence Jones Monday morning on “Fox & Friends” over the weekend shooting at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, with Jones telling Patel that law enforcement officials “remain reactive” to assassination attempts on President Trump.
“Our evidence response teams were on scene so fast,” Patel said Monday, praising the law enforcement officials in question. “The men and women of the FBI have not slept all weekend, the DOJ hasn’t slept all weekend, and the interagency hasn’t all weekend. It’s because America wants answers, and we’re going to give them to you because President Trump required them.”
“They did a great job on the ground, but they remain reactive. The proactive approach is still under great scrutiny. The President of the United States is averaging an assassination attempt once a year,” Jones responded, pressing Patel on the matter. “Who’s gonna do the investigating of the procedures? Secret Service can’t investigate themselves because there’s still people in leadership at the Secret Service that were responsible for [the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania]. How does that happen? It was a failure!”
“I can’t speak to Butler and I agree it was a total failure, absolutely,” Patel replied. “But I have full confidence in [Homeland Security Secretary] Markwayne Mullin. He oversees the United States Secret Service. I’ve talked to him repeatedly over the weekend and I’ve asked, I’ve spoken with him and said, ‘Whatever you need from the FBI, whatever we can assist in.’”
You can watch the full interview yourself below.
Patel was asked further about how the White House intends to heighten the security at future events and future WHCA dinners.
“I think we are going to do it entirely differently. You heard the president say on Saturday night that we’re going to do this again in short order, maybe in 30 days or so, and we’re gonna be ready for that,” Patel said. “The security posture, I imagine, is gonna be completely different.”
The FBI Director added that both Americans and individuals within the Trump administration should be concerned about the security failings this past weekend.
“This was a matter that needs to be heavily scrutinized because it almost took the lives of dozens, if not hundreds of people, but for the quick reaction of our law enforcement,” Patel explained. “We’re going to be talking about how we improve the security, not just for this event, but for all events going forward. We’re going to learn from this one.”
