The United States Senate has voted to confirm former federal prosecutor Kash Patel as the next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), continuing a streak of success for President Donald Trump’s government nominees.
But Thursday’s confirmation came by slim margins. Only 51 senators, all Republican, voted in favour of Patel in the 100-seat Senate.
There were two notable defections from the Republican Party: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. They joined 47 Democrats in opposing what critics have called a dangerous nomination to lead the FBI.
“ Mr Patel’s record demonstrates that he’s dangerous, inexperienced and dishonest,” Democratic Senator Dirk Durbin of Illinois said. “He should not and cannot serve as an effective FBI director.”
For his part, in a social media post, Patel thanked Trump and said he was honoured to be confirmed.
“The politicalization of our justice system has eroded public trust — but that ends today,” Patel wrote. “My mission as Director is clear: let good cops be cops — and rebuild trust in the FBI.”
But in the lead-up to the vote, a parade of Democratic lawmakers, including Durbin, took the Senate floor to warn against confirming Patel, saying he would indeed politicise the FBI.
They raised questions about his ability to lead the FBI fairly, given past statements that suggested he might use the bureau’s resources to go after Trump’s political rivals and journalists.
“ It is shocking that my Republican colleagues are willing to support him despite the serious threat he poses to our national security,” Durbin said.
“I’m sorry to say, I believe they will quickly come to regret this vote. When I think of giving this man a 10-year tenure as director of the leading criminal investigative agency in the world, I cannot imagine a worse choice.”
A narrow confirmation
Those concerns were reflected in the historically tight margins through which Patel’s confirmation passed. His predecessors at the FBI were approved with overwhelmingly bipartisan support.
Former FBI director Christopher Wray won confirmation in 2017 with 92 votes. Before him, in 2013, James Comey notched 93 votes in support. And for Robert Mueller in 2001, the vote was unanimous, 98 to zero.
Still, with a solid 53-member Republican majority in the Senate, none of President Trump’s nominees are expected to fall short in a confirmation vote.
Even Mitch McConnell of Kentucky — who has broken ranks with his fellow Republicans over the confirmations of Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F Kennedy Jr — threw his support behind Patel on Thursday.
But in separate statements, Collins and Murkowski explained they could not vote for Patel for fear he might use the FBI for political gain.
“My reservations with Mr. Patel stem from his own prior political activities and how they may influence his leadership,” Murkowski wrote. “The FBI must be trusted as the federal agency that roots out crime and corruption, not focused on settling political scores.”
Collins echoed that sentiment, saying Patel’s “aggressive political activity” cast doubt on his ability to lead a nonpartisan bureau.
“Mr. Patel’s recent political profile undermines his ability to serve in the apolitical role of Director of the FBI,” Collins explained in her statement.
This is not the first time that Patel has fractured Republicans under Trump’s leadership.
During Trump’s first term, from 2017 to 2021, Patel served in a variety of roles, including in the National Security Council and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
But news reports emerged that Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director Gina Haspel threatened to resign over the prospect of Trump naming Patel as her deputy.
In a memoir, Bill Barr, who served as attorney general during Trump’s first term, also recalled shooting down a proposal to make Patel the deputy director of the FBI, saying it would be “over my dead body”.
Facing Senate criticism
During his confirmation hearings in January, Patel defended himself against allegations that he would leverag