Kash Patel’s comments during a September 2023 appearance on self-proclaimed “prophet” Julie Green’s podcast are deeply troubling and raise serious concerns about his potential fitness to serve as FBI director. Patel’s remarks, dripping with partisan animosity, paint a picture of someone far more concerned with loyalty to Donald Trump than with impartiality, justice, or uniting Americans under the banner of fairness.
Julie Green, Kash Patel, and Clay Clark
Rumble
Patel, speaking alongside conspiracy theorist Clay Clark, attacked supporters of GOP primary candidates like Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, and Mike Pence, implying they were traitors to Trump. Patel referred to DeSantis as “Tater Tot Ron” and delivered a pointed warning to Republicans who might dare to support a candidate other than Trump:
“Now we also know who really supports Donald Trump and who doesn’t.”
Patel went further, issuing an ominous declaration that those who oppose Trump during the primary will face exclusion:
“You need to not be messaging to people who when you talk to them who say yeah I’m all in I’m going to help you then turn around and stab you in the face and the back. And that’s the type of people you’re talking about. And they’re out now. And we know. It’s your right. You want to go vote for Tater Tot Ron down in Florida. That’s fine. You could do your thing. If you want to go vote for Chris Christie’s word salad or Pence … I don’t care. That’s your right as an American, but if you’re a pastor, if you’re a businessman, if you’re a sports team owner, if you’re from Hollywood and you want to go support all those people, do it loudly. Make sure we hear you because you will never be allowed back in the dojo ever again.”
Kash Patel campaigning for Trump
Kash Patel: “You want to go vote for Tater Tot Ron down in Florida. That’s fine.”
This rhetoric suggests Patel supports canceling anyone deemed insufficiently loyal to Trump, potentially barring them from participating in future Republican administrations. It also raises the alarming prospect that Patel, if confirmed as FBI Director, might implement partisan loyalty tests within one of the nation’s most powerful law enforcement agencies.
An FBI director should prioritize justice, integrity, and fairness, not act as a partisan enforcer for any political figure. The agency’s independence and credibility hinge on the public’s trust that it will act impartially, without political bias. Patel’s divisive statements betray a mindset wholly unsuited for this role, as they signal a willingness to use power to punish dissent rather than pursue justice.
Kash Patel
GOP senators tasked with Patel’s confirmation must carefully consider his words and their implications. Many of these senators have themselves voiced concerns about Trump or supported other candidates in the past. Patel’s comments imply that they, too, might be considered enemies of Trump’s agenda.
Confirming Patel would be a mistake that jeopardizes the integrity of the FBI and undermines the principle of impartial governance. Patel’s loyalty tests have no place in American democracy or law enforcement. Republican senators should think twice before entrusting him with such an influential role.
