GOP Senator Cornyn ‘Confident’ Kash Patel Will Be Confirmed as FBI Director

Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn, a prominent moderate voice in the Senate GOP, expressed his confidence that President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, will be confirmed for the role.

“People I know and trust speak highly of him, and I’m looking forward to meeting with him,” Cornyn told radio host Hugh Hewitt. When asked directly if Patel would be confirmed, Cornyn replied, “Yes, he will be.” He also noted that Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for Attorney General, had shared positive remarks about Patel.

Cornyn’s role on both the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee underscores the significance of his endorsement, signaling moderate Republicans’ willingness to back Patel’s leadership of the FBI.

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Last month, Trump revealed on Truth Social that he had selected Kash Patel to lead the FBI.

“I am proud to announce that Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending justice, and protecting the American people,” Trump wrote.

“He was instrumental in exposing the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax,’ championing truth, accountability, and the Constitution. During my first term, Kash excelled as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council. With over 60 jury trials under his belt, Kash will restore Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity to the FBI while tackling crime, dismantling migrant criminal gangs, and combating human and drug trafficking at the border,” Trump added.

However, one challenge remains: current FBI Director Christopher Wray, who was appointed by Trump in 2017, still has three years left in his term. For Patel to assume the role, Wray would need to resign or be dismissed.

Patel’s outspoken critiques of the FBI and Department of Justice have alarmed Washington insiders. On “The Shawn Ryan Show,” Patel remarked, “The FBI’s footprint has gotten so freakin’ big.”

In 2023, speaking on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast, Patel warned that a re-elected Trump administration would target what he described as “conspirators.”

“We’ve got to put in all-American patriots top to bottom,” Patel said about the Department of Justice. He vowed the department would “find the conspirators, not just in government but in the media,” adding, “Yes, we’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections – we’re going to come after you.”

Trump’s announcement sparked fierce backlash from critics.

“Do not normalize Trump. He is an enemy of this country. This latest pick only confirms it. Biden & Harris must not go to his inauguration. Everyone must speak out. Trump is trying to destroy this country. This is not normal. Time to resist. It’s past time,” tweeted former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh.

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe also voiced strong opposition on CNN.

“This is a terrible development for the men and women of the FBI and for the nation, which relies on a professional, independent Federal Bureau of Investigation,” McCabe said.

“The fact that Kash Patel is profoundly unqualified for this job is not even a matter for debate. What we should really consider is what this signals about Donald Trump’s intentions for the FBI,” he added.

Democratic Senator Chris Coons emphasized the Senate’s role in vetting Patel. “Kash Patel will be another test of the Senate’s power of advice and consent,” Coons wrote on X. “Patel needs to prove to the Senate Judiciary Committee that he has the right qualifications and, despite his past statements, will prioritize our nation’s public safety over a political agenda of retribution.”