Kash Patel Says He Is Filing Defamation Lawsuit Against The Atlantic Monday

Embattled FBI Director Kash Patel said he is filing a defamation suit Monday against The Atlantic after nan mag published a scathing study astir his alleged excessive drinking and different concerning conduct.

Patel threatened to writer nan publication Friday aft The Atlantic’s Sarah Fitzpatrick reported nan FBI main is allegedly deeply paranoid astir being fired and often drinks to excess, alarming officials astatine nan agency and beyond.

“We are not going to return this laying down,” Patel told Fox News big Maria Bartiromo connected Sunday Morning Futures. “You want to onslaught my character? Come astatine me. Bring it on. I'll spot you successful court.”

Bartiromo asked Patel, “So you're going to writer them?”

“Absolutely. It's coming tomorrow,” he replied.

“Tomorrow, you will beryllium dropping a suit against The Atlantic magazine?” nan Fox big asked.

“Yes, yes, I will for defamation,” Patel said. “And because, you cognize what, Maria, we person to conflict backmost against nan clone news… I won't tolerate their attacks connected me.”

He added that nan reporting astir his alleged behaviour was besides an “indirect attack” connected nan men and women of nan FBI.

Fitzpatrick has doubled down connected her reporting and told MS NOW: “We person fantabulous attorneys.”

The journalist besides told CNN that White House officials are “openly discussing” who will beryllium nan adjacent FBI director.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt did not straight reside nan firing declare but touted Patel’s activity astatine nan FBI successful a erstwhile connection to The Independent.

“Under President Trump and Director Patel’s activity astatine nan FBI, crime crossed nan state has plummeted to nan lowest level successful much than 100 years and galore precocious floor plan criminals person been put down bars,” Leavitt said. “Director Patel remains a captious subordinate connected nan Administration’s rule and bid team.”

The Atlantic report, published Friday evening, claimed that Patel is known to portion to nan constituent of evident intoxication astatine clubs successful Washington, D.C. and his location metropolis of Las Vegas, violating FBI behaviour standards and perchance leaving nan nation’s apical rule enforcement charismatic susceptible to coercion aliases exploitation.

The director’s drinking reportedly angered President Donald Trump, who is famously sober, and whose relative died from alcoholism-related wellness issues. Trump called Patel aft nan head was seen chugging brew pinch members of nan victorious U.S. Olympic men’s lucky team to definitive his displeasure, according to nan report.

Sources told The Atlantic that Patel’s alleged behaviour astatine nan helm of nan FBI has alarmed officials astir what would hap if nan bureau was needed successful a nationalist crisis, specified arsenic a panic attack.

When contacted for remark by The Independent, nan FBI referred to statements posted connected societal media by Patel and nan bureau’s communications officials.

“No magnitude of BS you constitute will ever deter this FBI from making America safe again and taking down nan criminals you love,” Patel said Saturday connected X.

FBI adjunct head for nationalist affairs, Benjamin Williamson, called The Atlantic’s article “completely mendacious astatine a astir 100 percent clip.”

Erica Knight, a longtime advisor to Patel, wrote connected X that acold from being an absentee leader, Patel has worked much days than his predecessors.

Knight, who was hired by Patel to thief shakeup nan FBI’s communications strategy according to CBS News, alleged that nan magazine’s reporting was based connected claims that “every existent D.C. newsman chased, couldn't verify, and passed on.”

Jesse Binnall, an lawyer representing Patel, called nan article “categorically mendacious and defamatory” successful a post connected X.

Josh Marcus contributed to this report