Daniel Brunner, a former FBI Special Agent, warned that appointing Kash Patel, a loyalist and former aide in the Trump administration, to lead the FBI would cause serious harm to the agency. Brunner expressed concerns about Patel’s qualifications, emphasizing that his background was far from conventional, calling such a decision “extremely, extremely dangerous” during an interview on CNN Sunday.
Brunner elaborated on Patel’s lack of leadership experience, pointing out that Patel had never overseen an organization of any scale, let alone a complex one like the FBI. “He has no experience leading an organization, no less a Cub Scout pack,” Brunner remarked.
Brunner calls Patel’s potential appointment as FBI director “extremely dangerous” due to his unconventional background
Rumors have emerged suggesting that Trump is considering Patel for the FBI director role and may move to dismiss the current director, Christopher Wray, once he assumes office.
Patel, who served as chief of staff to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller during the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, has been a strong defender of Trump. He also testified in Trump’s defense in cases involving efforts to remove the president from the ballot due to the events of January 6.
In addition to advising Trump on national security matters, Patel serves on the board of Trump’s media company. Brunner pointed out Patel’s stated desire for revenge against those who investigated Trump and his associates, raising further concerns about his potential impact. “He will conduct a massive amount of damage to the interior of the FBI,” Brunner warned.
Brunner also anticipated that Patel’s appointment could lead to widespread firings of FBI employees. Patel would oversee tens of thousands of employees, including special agents, analysts, and those responsible for enforcing federal laws. “I think he’ll be very, very dangerous,” Brunner concluded.
