How Kash Patel Came to Loathe the Media and Love Trump

On the Media

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4.6 • 8.7K Ratings

🗓️ 19 February 2025

⏱️ 17 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

How Kash Patel went from a little-known, largely inexperienced civil servant to being nominated for an enormous role in the Trump administration.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to the On the Media Midweek podcast. I'm Michael Owenger.
0:05.6	During his confirmation hearings, Cash Patel was asked about a rumored plan to purge officials from the FBI,
0:13.2	the agency that he's poised to lead.
0:15.4	Are you aware of any plans or discussions to punish in any way, including termination, FBI agents or personnel
0:23.1	associated with Trump investigations.
0:25.0	I'm not aware of this, Senator.
0:27.5	Then a day later,
0:28.8	The Trump administration has conducted an unprecedented purge at the top levels of the FBI.
0:34.7	Unprecedented.
0:35.5	This purge has greatly weakened the FBI's ability to protect the country and made America less safe.
0:41.3	That's Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois.
0:44.3	Last week, Durbin said he had evidence that indicated that Patel lied during those hearings.
0:50.3	Senator Dick Durbin, claiming highly credible whistleblowers told him,
0:54.6	Patel is behind the recent mass firings at the FBI, even though he has yet to take the reins.
1:00.5	Meanwhile, GOP senators standing largely united in their support of Patel.
1:04.5	Senate Democrats have worked to delay the vote over concerns that Patel is a Trump loyalist
1:10.0	who's ready to target the president's perceived enemies.
1:13.2	Mark my words.
1:15.2	Democratic Senator Sheldon White House of Rhode Island.
1:18.5	This Patel guy will come back to haunt you.
1:22.7	Elena Plot Calabro is a staff writer at the Atlantic, where she profiled Cash Patel.
1:28.5	In this conversation from late last year, she charted Patel's rise to power and prominence
	...

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