Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be attorney general, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on July 15, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday dismissed claims from a Democratic senator who expressed concerns about FBI Director Kash Patel, citing allegations of heavy drinking and questions about morale among agency employees.
Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) told Blanche during the Trump nominee's Senate confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill that he wanted to share his own concerns after Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) brought up reports of Patel drinking on the job and using his private jet to visit his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins.
"I have concerns about him because of the reports about his drinking, about the incredibly bad morale there," Welch said. "But I'm not going to ask you on that, you are his supervisor. So obviously you have some responsibility to be reviewing his behavior."
Blanche interjected and quickly responded to the comments.
"I don't think he has any issues drinking," Blanche said. "He has no issues with morale either."
Blanche on Kash Patel: "I don't think he has any issues drinking"
(Fact check: true!) pic.twitter.com/3U4vMPuhCQ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 15, 2026