The FBI was forced to clarify its role investigating Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-SC) sudden death after its director took to social media and made what critics called a "reckless" boast.
Even as MAGA influencers peddled baseless claims that Graham was killed in a secret Russian plot, Kash Patel informed his followers on X that the FBI was assisting local authorities — and drew immediate criticism for fanning the flames of conspiracy.
"Kash Patel is such an attention w---- and he just can’t help himself," wrote political strategist Mike Nellis. "The end of this tweet is just going to make people speculate even more about what happened to Lindsey Graham last night."
Added attorney Aaron Parnas, "Is the FBI investigating Lindsey Graham’s death now? This seems reckless from Kash Patel."
Indeed many of the comments to Patel's post posited the late Republican senator had died not from cardiac arrest — as initial reports suggest but officials have yet to confirm — but at the hands of Russian operatives.
"IS ANYONE CHECKING TO SEE IF SENATOR GRAHAM WAS POISONED BY RUSSIA?" one frightened X user demanded to know.
Even senior national political correspondent for U.S. News & World Report Olivier Knox professed confusion, asking, "Why is the FBI involved?"
Patel did not respond to questions from his readers, but eventually the FBI provided an update to Fox News' Jake Gibson, according to his colleague Chad Pergram.
"FBI agents are assisting [Metropolitan Police Department] officers with the normal process at Senator Graham’s house," Pergram wrote.
"There is NO indication of foul play at this point, according to two federal law enforcement sources. MPD is the led [sic] law enforcement agency at this point."
