Murder of conservative Trump supporter sparks debate to remove FBI director.
According to Newsweek, just as Patel seemed to be moving past the backlash of the past few weeks over his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, the next crisis came with Kirk’s controversial assassination and Patel’s repeated missteps in how to respond to the situation.
The American publication writes: Hours after Kirk was shot and killed at an academic event in Utah, Patel hastily announced on social media the arrest of the suspect in the murder of the conservative activist close to Trump. But it was soon revealed that there had been a mistake and that the person being questioned was not the main suspect and had been released.
Ultimately, the FBI failed to arrest the main suspect until 33 hours after the assassination, and Tyler Robinson, the main suspect in Kirk’s murder, was turned over to authorities by his father.
The confusion over Robinson’s arrest, coupled with Patel’s conspicuous but largely silent presence at a press conference in Utah, has turned his handling of the FBI into a hot topic on social media, according to Newsweek. While law enforcement officials are now praising the rapid progress in the case, Patel’s early mistakes have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum, including allies in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
Christopher Ruffo, an influential conservative journalist and activist, called for Patel’s removal after Kirk’s assassination and several other missteps.
“I am grateful that Utah authorities have arrested the suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination, and I think it is time for Republicans to evaluate whether Patel is the right person to lead the FBI,” Ruffo wrote in a lengthy post on the X platform on Friday. He has performed atrociously in the past few days, and it is unclear whether he has the operational expertise to investigate, infiltrate, and disrupt violent movements of any ideology that threatens peace in the United States.”
Other prominent conservatives have also criticized the FBI director’s performance, including Joseph Biggs, a far-right activist and convicted felon in the January 6 riots who was later pardoned by Trump, who wrote: “Why is the FBI director speculating like everyone else who is unaware of the story?” He added in another post: “This just proves that you were a terrible choice for this position.”
Laura Loomer, a longtime Trump ally and the face of the $50 million reward for the Venezuelan president’s capture, also strongly condemned the FBI’s handling of the Charlie Kirk assassination, writing: “This is truly a disgrace to the FBI and our country.”
Newsweek further notes that Patel, a junior Justice Department official with no prior law enforcement or intelligence experience, was confirmed to the position earlier this year by the Republican-controlled Senate over strong Democratic opposition.
His appointment has already come under fire for a number of things, including politicizing the FBI, firing senior officials who were not sufficiently loyal to Trump, and prioritizing public image over investigative integrity.
Last week, three former FBI officials filed a lawsuit accusing Patel of purging senior officials at the agency and overseeing widespread politicization. The plaintiffs also cited his involvement in past investigations into Trump as the reason for their dismissal.
Patel’s administration has come under fire, particularly in July, for halting the release of more public information about Jeffrey Epstein.
That’s why he is said to appear before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on September 16. The topics to be examined in these depositions are the Kirk and Epstein cases and allegations of political retaliation at the FBI.