Clash as Kash Patel's FBI lodges 'strong objection' to major Trump ally: report

Kash Patel's FBI undercut an attempt by one of President Donald Trump's allies to lead the nation's counterintelligence apparatus, according to a new report.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Patel's FBI sent a letter "strongly" opposing an effort to make Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and her agency the leader of the nation's counterintelligence operations. The report was published at a time when the House of Representatives is debating a bill that would give Gabbard a more prominent role in counterintelligence.

"The FBI letter was the latest example of tensions between Ms. Gabbard and her counterparts at other intelligence agencies, including the director of the FBI, Kash Patel," according to the report "A bid by Joe Kent, a top Gabbard ally who leads the National Counterterrorism Center, to investigate the circumstances of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing had already raised alarms at the FBI, after Mr. Kent went so far as to examine the bureau’s files."

"The FBI letter is unsigned, but administration officials said it would not have been sent without the approval of Mr. Patel," the report adds. "It pushes back against a handful of counterintelligence functions that Ms. Gabbard would effectively take over, using language like 'vigorously disagrees with' and 'strong objection.' One of the changes, the letter said, would 'cause serious and long-lasting damage to the U.S. national security.'”

Read the entire report by clicking here.