FBI Director Kash Patel clapped back at criticism he's received from Congressional lawmakers over his handling of high-profile cases during a new podcast on Tuesday.
Patel and his girlfriend, country music singer Alexis Wilkins, appeared on the latest episode of "The Katie Miller Podcast," hosted by Katie Miller, the wife of Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller. During the interview, he addressed criticism he's received over the FBI's handling of cases like the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The interview was recorded before the shooting at Brown University on Saturday that left two students dead and injured nine others.
"It was not something we ever expected," Patel said of Kirk's killing. "But at the same time, you have grotesque members of Congress who have nothing better to do than to say, 'Look, these assassinations occurred on your watch. It's your fault!'"
"That's okay, you can say that," Patel said. "That's fine. But most of America would go back and say, 'What have you done lately to protect our communities?' And they know the answer is they've done jack squat."
The interview was released at a time when Patel reportedly faces mounting criticism from within the FBI. A report by The Guardian found that Patel appears to be "paralyzed by fear" in his role. Other reports indicate that Trump is considering ousting Patel, a claim that the White House has denied.
