Newly elected US President Donald Trump has chosen Kash Patel to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Patel, who was the Defense Department’s chief of staff in Trump’s first administration, is considered a loyal Trump supporter.
Kash Patel’s appointment would require the resignation or removal of current FBI Director Christopher Wray, but Trump has not directly called for Wray’s resignation. Wray was appointed by Trump in 2017 as the current FBI Director.
Along with Kash Patel, Trump has announced the appointment of Chad Chronister to head the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). He has also selected Pam Bondi as Attorney General. All these appointments must be approved by a majority vote of the US Senate.
Kash Patel is a devotee of the “America First” ideology and is skeptical of government institutions. Trump has said of him, “Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and defender of truth and justice.” However, Democrats as well as some Republican supporters consider Patel controversial. In his book “Government Gangsters” he proposed greatly limiting the powers of the FBI.
Current FBI Director Christopher Wray has been endorsed by many political leaders. “Ray has done a great job as FBI director,” said Senator Mike Rounds, Republican of South Dakota. So, Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy said, “I fear that Patel will only protect Republicans.”
Kash Patel’s journey is special. He is the son of Indian immigrants and has extensive experience in the field of national security and investigations. He served as senior counsel for the House Intelligence Committee in 2017. He was appointed National Security Assistant in the Trump administration in 2019, then became Pentagon chief of staff.
Also, Patel has published the children’s book “The Plot Against the King”, in which he supports Trump.
On the other hand, Chad Chronister is the Sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida. He has been working in the field of law enforcement for 32 years. Trump has tasked him with focusing on anti- drug campaigns.
The appointments are drawing attention to the Trump administration’s law and order policies. However, there are various differences of opinion on these decisions.
