Trump's chosen media advisory board member and proponent of the QAnon conspiracy, Kash Patel, officially assumes the role of FBI Director.
In a 51-49 vote on Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Kash Patel as the new FBI director, with Democrats and Republican senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins casting nays. Patel, a prominent figure in the conservative sphere, has recently become a shareholder in Trump Media, the corporation that oversees Donald Trump's Truth Social platform, according to CNBC's scrutiny of regulatory filings.
Patel's political views have been categorized as far-right, with an affinity for conspiracy theories, such as QAnon. His perception of the Capitol rioters on January 6, 2021, characterized them as political prisoners. President Trump granted pardons to the rioters later on.
QAnon advocates a worldview that claims the U.S. government and Hollywood’s elites consist of a cabal of pedophiles who engage in satanic rituals involving child abuse and adrenochrome consumption. This outlandish theory maintains that Donald Trump will save the nation's children from these sinister forces.
The QAnon theory originated from an anonymous government insider who adopted the alias Q, sharing cryptic messages on 4chan, a message board website. Although the messages' intentions were ambiguous, some could be deciphered, appealing to psychic readers and manipulative commonalities with other religious scriptures.
Though Patel denies promoting QAnon conspiracy theories, his social media activity tells a different story. After the launch of Truth Social, Patel tweeted, “Having a beer with @q right now,” according to Wired. He has also declared his intention to pursue Trump’s political adversaries, including Sen. Adam Schiff. Elon Musk, who leads DOGE, a group perceived as dismantling the U.S. government in an oligarchic coup, approved of Patel's attacks on Schiff.
Patel has also expressed his intention to target journalists, though the specifics of his plans remain unclear. An outspoken critic of the media, Patel has publicly accused them of lying about the 2020 election and pushing for Joe Biden's victory. During an interview, he threatened that the administration would punish these outlets for their perceived misinformation.
Some have raised concerns about Patrick's potential to undermine the FBI's independence and target perceived opponents, including journalists and government employees, citing his vocal criticism of the organization and past legal battles with news outlets. The future of American democratic values hangs in the balance, as this era of American fascism unfolds with Patel as FBI Director.
- With his new role as the FBI director, Kash Patel's future actions towards technology companies and digital platforms, like Truth Social, will be closely watched.
- CNBC confirmed that Patel recently became a shareholder in Trump Media, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest in his role as FBI director.
- Patel's Twitter activity, which included a mention of Q, has led to concerns about his support for conspiracy theories and his intention to prosecute political adversaries.
- As FBI director, Patel's proclamations to pursue Trump's political opponents and his threats towards journalists have sparked discussions about the potential impact on media freedom and democratic values in the future.
