Trump has nominated MAGA extremist Kash Patel as the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Patel, who has publicly announced his intention to weaponize the FBI against journalists, government officials, nonprofit organizations, and ordinary Americans, would take the bureau in an unprecedented and dangerous direction.
He explicitly vowed to punish those who refused to promote Republicans’ Big Lie about the 2020 election, saying: “We’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections. We’re going to come after you.” This sets a dangerous precedent for using federal law enforcement as a political weapon.
Even during Trump’s first term, Patel’s appointment to a senior FBI position was blocked—not by Democrats, but by Bill Barr, Trump’s handpicked Attorney General. Barr reportedly said “over my dead body” when Trump tried to establish Patel as second-in-command at the FBI. If someone as loyal to Trump as Barr found Patel unfit, it speaks volumes about the risks of allowing him to lead the agency.
The FBI already has a long and troubling history of targeting individuals who challenge power while often letting corporate criminals go unchecked. But appointing Patel would not be a step toward accountability or reform. Instead, it would entrench the worst abuses of power and turn the bureau into a tool for political vengeance.
Use this tool to send the following email to your Republican senator or senators. You can also add an additional comment, if you choose.
The email to your Republican senator or senators:
Dear Senator,
I’m writing as a deeply concerned constituent to urge you to oppose any effort to confirm Kash Patel as FBI Director, as his appointment would fundamentally undermine the rule of law and the integrity of our federal institutions.
Patel has made no secret of his intentions. He has openly declared plans to use the FBI to target journalists, government officials, and nonprofit organizations, saying: “We will go out and find the conspirators not just in government, but in the media.”
The FBI needs better, more unbiased leadership, and Americans deserve that, too. Sadly, Patel plans to transform the FBI into a weapon to use against Donald Trump’s political foes, Democrat and Republican alike.
In fact, Bill Barr, Trump’s former Attorney General, has repeatedly recognized the dangers of Patel’s approach. When Trump attempted to install Patel as the FBI’s second-in-command during his first term, Barr firmly rejected the move. If someone as loyal to Trump as Barr saw Patel as a threat, it’s hard to imagine how anyone could justify putting him in charge.
The FBI needs moral leadership to restore trust while addressing its past and ongoing failures. Kash Patel is clearly not the person to do that. His confirmation would cement the weaponization of our justice system, something no senator—Republican or Democrat—should support.
I strongly urge you to stand up for the rule of law and our democratic institutions by opposing any effort to confirm Kash Patel as FBI Director.
Thank you for your consideration.