A photographer's quick snap of FBI Director Kash Patel's handwritten notes during a contentious House hearing this week earned scorn from social media critics.

Patel testified this week before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and then before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. He faced a tense grilling on several topics, including the investigation into the files of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and other internal FBI matters.

A Getty photograph shared on X by independent journalist Aaron Rupar showed what was on Patel's mind during his hearing with House lawmakers.

"Good fight with Swalwell.

Hold the line.

Brush off their attacks.

Rise above next line of partisan attacks."

The internet roasted Patel over the notes.

Former Rep. Barbara Comstock (D-VA) chided Patel on X.

"Performative clown @FBIDirectorKash - even MAGA knows he’s not up for the job."

Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief at MeidasTouch, wrote on X, "This is the cringiest MFer in the MAGA movement, hands down."

Max Flugrath, communications director at Fair Fight Action, wrote on X, "These aren't notes – it's a script to follow in hopes of generating clips MAGA can use for social media propaganda."

Independent investigative journalist Adam Cochran wrote on X, "As if we need more proof of Kash being an idiot… His notes include 'Good fight with Swalwell' and a reminder to 'hold the line.'"

Matt Johnson wrote on X, "It's almost like @FBIDirectorKash is a partisan hack that has no business running a Kinko's let alone the FBI."

Chris Robinson wrote on X, "Does Trump give him a treat for this? A later bed time? More screen time?"

A reporter in the White House press pool tried to ask President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Friday about his plans to send a military force to keep order in Memphis, Tennessee — and Trump waved her off, calling her "obnoxious" and refusing to answer any of her questions.

"Mr. President, what are your plans for—" the reporter began. Her name wasn't immediately known.

"Quiet. You're really obnoxious," said Trump.

"I’m not obnoxious, but I’m trying to ask you what about your plans for Memphis," said the reporter, as Trump continued to talk over her. "Many people want to know what the numbers are going to be like. What are your plans for Memphis, Mr. President?"

"You are really obnoxious," said Trump. "I'm not going to talk to you until I call on you." He then proceeded to direct his attention to other reporters.

Trump announced his plans to deploy the National Guard to Memphis on Monday, in an event with Republican Gov. Bill Lee. He has already made a similar deployment of troops to Los Angeles following protests against his immigration raids, and completely federalized law enforcement in Washington, D.C., with another contingent of guardsmen.

It's the latest salvo in Trump's apparent attempts to legitimize the use of the military to execute his domestic agenda. He has made numerous threats to send soldiers into Chicago, which Illinois state and local officials have stood firm against.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper expressed astonishment Friday afternoon at President Donald Trump's Oval Office remarks that negative coverage of his administration ought to be "illegal."

Trump made the comment while fielding shouted questions from reporters. One reporter asked him his thoughts on free speech as it relates to the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

"There's been a lot of talk about free speech this week. Do you see a difference between cancel culture and consequence culture?" the reporter asked.

"Your question is a little trick question," he shot back, annoyed by the question.

Trump bemoaned that coverage of him is up to 97% negative despite his win over Vice President Kamala Harris.

"They'll take a great story, and they'll make it bad!" he added. "I think that's really illegal, personally. You can't have free airwaves — you're getting free airwaves from the United States government — and you can't have that and say — someone who just won an election — and I had to go through this during the election. I think it's a miracle that I can win when 97% of the stories on the networks are bad or whatever it may be."

Fellow CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins called Trump's comments "remarkable."

"The president is doubling down on what he told reporters on Air Force One just yesterday about punishment that he believes networks should face over what their late-night hosts say about him, particularly how much negative coverage there is of the president," she said.

Collins said Trump is now "explicitly saying" that employers should face consequences for negative coverage of him.

"He's going further than he did yesterday," Collins noted.

"Yeah, saying that newscasts that are not sufficiently positive are a crime," Tapper said. "Shocking."

Tapper added: "It is stunning to me that people in the conservative media are so shortsighted they don’t see how this is going to impact them when a Democrat wins the White House — and that will happen someday."