To provide context, the FBI has historically been a contentious entity in politics, but this was particularly true during Trump’s initial term. James Comey, the former FBI director, mishandled the investigation into Hillary’s emails and subsequently, after being dismissed, attempted to portray Trump as an unaccountable dictator.

In any event, the interview on May 18th commenced with Kash Patel elucidating to host Maria Bartiromo, “how the FBI was weaponized.” In response, he stated, “Well, the FBI usurped the constitutional duties of the Department of Justice and the Attorney General, with James Comey and others making specific decisions on which cases to pursue and which to dismiss. Don’t take my word for it? Refer to the videotape from the Hillary Clinton investigation.”

Providing further context, he stated, “We do not make decisions regarding prosecutions, nor does any agent or intelligence analyst. We have excellent partners under Attorney General [Pam] Bondi. We collaborate with them and engage in discussions about the matter, but the authority to decide on prosecutions rests with them.Citing a specific instance to support his argument, Patel referred to the Crossfire Hurricane investigation concerning President Donald Trump’s purported connections to Russia. The FBI director stated, “This illustrates how vindictive and ruthless the previous leadership was. They not only corrupted the FISA process and deceived the American public, but they also concealed and obscured documentation, placing it in areas where individuals were not meant to search.”