America First Nomination: Kash Patel

Biography

Kash Patel is a seasoned national security and legal expert, having served as Chief of Staff to Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, where he led department operations and advised on key defense initiatives. As a former Deputy Assistant to President Donald J. Trump and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council, Patel played a pivotal role in eliminating top terrorist leaders, repatriating American hostages, and overseeing counterterrorism and intelligence operations across 17 agencies as Principal Deputy to the Acting Director of National Intelligence. Before these roles, Patel was the National Security Advisor to the House Intelligence Committee, spearheading investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election and advancing critical intelligence legislation. As a Department of Justice terrorism prosecutor, he led global cases against ISIS and Al-Qaeda operatives and worked with elite counterterrorism units at Joint Special Operations Command. A native of New York, Patel holds a law degree with a Certificate in International Law from University College London and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond.

America First Credentials

Supports

FBI Accountability and Restoration

Supports reforming the Bureau to end the weaponization of law enforcement and the abuse of the FBI for political purposes, restoring the Bureau’s core mission of law enforcement and intelligence. Emphasizes rebuilding trust with the American people by ending the misuse of the classification system and promoting truth and transparency within the FBI.

Stricter Congressional Oversight

• Supports ending politicized decision-making and ensuring investigations are conducted with integrity, independently from external influences. Supports increased congressional oversight of the FBI.
• Argues there needs to be more transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to sensitive investigations.
• Suggested that the FBI should be more responsive to congressional inquiries and that lawmakers should have more influence over the direction of FBI investigations.

Personnel Reorganization

Supports restructuring FBI leadership by reducing unnecessary layers and moving leaders out of Washington to work more closely with the communities they serve.

Opposes

Selective accountability

Will fight for the Constitution to be applied equally to all, both within and outside of government, empowering the American people with the truth.

Two-tiered system of justice

Opposes political bias or favoritism in the application of the law. In terms of reform, he has suggested that the FBI should implement stricter measures to ensure that political considerations do not influence its investigations or decisions.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Warrants

Opposes the reauthorization of FISA without meaningful reforms to prevent abuses and ensure accountability.

America First Achievements

Kash Patel has made significant contributions to security and intelligence, including:

National Security Leadership

Was a key official in the first Trump Administration, serving as Chief of Staff to the Acting Secretary of Defense. This role contributed to critical defense and intelligence operations, with Patel becoming the first top U.S. official to meet with the Syrian government in a decade to negotiate the release of two American hostages.

Investigation in Election Interference

Gained attention as an investigator on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence under Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), and he was instrumental in the Committee’s inquiries into Russian interference in the 2016 election, producing the “Nunes Memo,” which criticized the FBI’s use of surveillance tools and sparked considerable debate. These efforts were credited with reshaping public perceptions of intelligence and surveillance practices.

Legal Expertise

Was a former federal prosecutor, with experience prosecuting complex cases, including terrorism and international narcotics trafficking. His background as a lawyer and investigator is repeatedly cited as a core strength within and outside the federal government. Patel received an award in 2017 for his prosecution and conviction of 12 terrorists responsible for the World Cup bombings in 2010.