FBI Director Kash Patel Slammed as ’Insecure’ and 'In Over His Head' in Scathing Report from Current and Former Agents
The report follows recent rumors about Patel being fired by the FBI, which the White House denied
By Greta Bjornson Updated on December 1, 2025 03:31PM EST
FBI Director Kash Patel was given a harsh critique by current and former agents in a report assessing his first six months in the role
Patel began his duties as FBI director in February, and was sworn in for a ten-year term
Both he and Deputy Director Dan Bongino were criticized in the report, specifically for their constant use of social media; Bongino appeared to respond to the criticism in a post on X
FBI Director Kash Patel got an unflattering review in a report compiled by both current and retired agents at the bureau, who dissected Patel's leadership during his first six months in the role.
The report, which was released by an anonymous group of agents, is described as a "pulse check" on how Patel managed the bureau between Feb. 21 and Aug. 21. The report was first released by the New York Post, which uploaded it on Sunday, Nov. 30, after receiving an advanced copy, according to The Daily Beast.
The report will be delivered to ranking members of the House and Senate judiciary committees this week, according to The Daily Beast. It states that Patel's FBI is "chronically under-performing" and said the results found by researchers were "discouraging."
It comes just days after Patel was rumored to be on his way out from his post at the FBI, with MS NOW reporting in late November that President Donald Trump was considering replacing Patel. The White House denied any rumors of Patel's dismissal.
The new report included testimony from agents on how Patel's leadership has affected the agency, which has been "paralyzed by fear" under the director. One source said agents are "afraid to say anything" and have been "keeping their heads down" due to fear of being fired.
While some sources said they feared being ousted by Patel, the report also included testimony from agents who questioned the director's ability to lead the FBI. Two sources said Patel was "in over his head" in the role, with one saying he "lacks the requisite knowledge and deep understanding" needed to serve as director.
A separate source said Patel was "not very good" and described him as someone who "may be insecure," while another questioned the ability of Patel and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino to "deal effectively with top-tier threats facing the country."
Both Patel and Bongino were criticized for their use of social media, with the report noting that there was no specific request for feedback on the issue, but that agents willingly volunteered information about the leaders' habits of posting frequently online.
One respondent said, "enough is enough," adding that Patel and his deputy must "stop talking, stop posting, and just be professional."
A source who described FBI leadership as "dismal" said the leaders are "spending too much time on social media and public relations," with too much of a focus on "building (their own) personal resumes."
The report also detailed what it called "notable incidents" related to Patel's leadership of the FBI. One such incident was recounted by a person identified as ALPHA 95, an FBI veteran of more than 20 years who said Patel became upset when he learned that FBI personnel had been discussing his request for an FBI firearm, with some disagreeing, some agreeing and others expressing indifference.
ALPHA 95 said that the personnel involved in the discussion were ordered to take a polygraph test "to determined their involvement in the discussion," which the agent said was "punitive."
Another incident detailed in the report recounted Patel's insistence on wearing an FBI raid jacket and refusing to disembark from an aircraft without one while arriving in Utah on Sept. 11, the day after Charlie Kirk was assassinated.
ALPHA 99, who served in the FBI for decades, said agents had been occupied with the case but had to stop their work to find a medium-sized jacket for Patel to wear, despite there being multiple large and extra-large jackets available.
One of the female FBI agents lent her jacket to Patel, who then said he would not leave the plane in the jacket when he noticed two areas without Velcro attached; he insisted the areas be covered with patches. Patel finally exited the plane in the jacket after members of an FBI SWAT team removed patches from their own uniforms and gave them to him.
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