FBI Director Kash Patel fired back guns blazing after Democrats and their media allies attacked him during a congressional hearing Tuesday.
During the hearing, Democrats fiercely attacked Patel by calling him a “thug,” questioning the legitimacy of his investigative work, and making a fuss over him partying with U.S. hockey players during the Olympics.
The “thug” attack was particularly infuriating:
Today I called out Kash Patel for who he is: a thug who uses government resources for himself, and is more interested in using his office to advance Trump’s agenda than do the job of running the FBI. pic.twitter.com/Esk7oOskgj
— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) September 15, 2026
The leftist Democrat media joined the attack by capturing a photo of a note that Patel was wielding that contained talking points to use against the very Democrats who were ruthlessly attacking and smearing him.
For this, for being prepared with facts to use against his enemies, Patel was attacked by so-called “journalists” like Jonathan Martin of Politico.
Martin accused the FBI Director of coming to the hearing “to perform a show for [President Donald] Trump rather than offer any insights about [his] actual work. The leftist “journalist” had nothing to say about Booker’s “thug” attack.
The talented @Reuters photographers with a close up of Kash Patel’s oppo research on the top Democrat on Senate Judiciary Dick Durbin… as Patel testifies before the committee pic.twitter.com/4C9SEGLY4k
— Joe Khalil (@JoeKhalilTV) September 15, 2026
Later Tuesday evening, Patel responded to all his attackers with fire and fury while speaking on Fox News’ “Hannity.” He was helped by host Sean Hannity, who made it a point to compare his accomplishments to those of the Democrats.
Hannity noted, for example, that whereas Patel’s Biden-era predecessor only captured four of America’s top 10 most wanted criminals, his FBI has captured nine. Hannity also pointed to a drop in murders, rapes, and robberies, as well as a rise in the capture of cartel members and fentanyl dealers.
Under President Trump’s leadership, this FBI and our law enforcement partners delivered the largest year-to-year drop in violent crime in U.S. history.
Put cops in the field. Hunt violent criminals. Deliver results for the American people.
-DKP
pic.twitter.com/nzvkKmaqQA
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 15, 2026
Meanwhile, Patel ripped into Democrats for caring more about playing politics than actually making the country safer for the American people.
“This is what the Democrats do on the Hill,” he began. “They don’t want to participate in the most prolific reduction in violent crime in U.S. history, thanks to President Trump and his law enforcement team. What they want to do is launch baseless personal attacks.”
“What they want to talk about is Russia collusion,” he added. “What they want to do is lie to the American people. And what they want the mainstream media to do is not cover this historic reduction, not cover the lives saved, not cover the fact that we seized enough fentanyl to kill a quarter-billion Americans.”
Listen:
FBI Director Kash Patel fires back after a heated hearing on Capitol Hill, accusing Democrats of focusing on personal attacks while ignoring the FBI’s record on violent crime, fentanyl, and child predators:
“This is what the Democrats do on the Hill. They don’t want to… pic.twitter.com/uyscerwuF4
— Sean Hannity
“This FBI, under my leadership, under President Trump’s administration, is here for the people of America,” Patel continued. “We are not here for the cacophony of the United States Senate and the Democrats and their radical lunacy. We are here to protect Americans.”
He further argued that the reason Democrats have been so ruthless in their attacks is that they’re mad he’s getting the job done.
“The fact that we delivered is ticking them off more than anything they could possibly think of,” Patel said. “So, when you’re over the target, what are they going to do, Sean? They’re going to yell at you about your personal life and lie about it and threaten the ones you love, which they did repeatedly today.”
“We’re not going to stand for that, but we’re also going to continue this historic mission,” he concluded.
