According to The Atlantic's sources, FBI Director Kash Patel drinks heavily to the point of obvious alcohol poisoning, often openly at the private club Ned's in Washington or at Poodle Room in Las Vegas where he spends his weekends. Several times last year, he was so drunk that his own guards had difficulty reviving him, and his drinking is a concern at several levels within the Trump administration. The specific evidence supporting these allegations has not been publicly disclosed, and the identities and credibility of The Atlantic's sources within the FBI and Trump administration remain unknown.
Patel's drinking has been a problem since he began his service in February 2025, with early meetings postponed to later in the day because he was hungover. He is often inexplicably absent from work and impossible to reach, according to The Atlantic's sources, leading to important and time-sensitive decisions being postponed. The FBI's existing problems with bureaucratic bottlenecks have worsened due to his absence, though the full impact on the Bureau's operational effectiveness is unclear, as no official assessments have been released.
FBI Director is missing in action.
On one occasion, Patel's guards had to use FBI equipment intended for forcing entry into residences to reach him when he was 'unreachable behind a locked door.' The current status of Patel's position as FBI Director amid these allegations is not confirmed, with no official statements from the White House or Justice Department.
After the USA's gold in the Olympic ice hockey tournament in Milan, Patel went down to the locker room to celebrate and was caught on film chugging a bottle of beer and jumping around with NHL stars. President Donald Trump called Patel to express his displeasure about this locker room celebration, according to The Atlantic.
Outrageous.
On Friday, April 10, Patel suddenly could not log into the FBI's data systems due to a technical error, but he quickly became convinced he had been fired. He panicked and began manically calling various colleagues and allies, with two of The Atlantic's sources describing his behavior as a breakdown. Official investigations or responses regarding these allegations have not been announced, leaving it unknown what actions, if any, are underway.
The FBI, under Patel, has fired at least 10 employees linked to the investigation into classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. These dismissals occurred after reports revealed the FBI had obtained phone records of Patel and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles during the Mar-a-Lago probe. Patel called the FBI obtaining his phone records 'outrageous,' in an official statement.
The Mar-a-Lago investigation was led by Special Counsel Jack Smith and focused on Trump's handling of classified materials post-presidency, resulting in an FBI raid and a 37-count indictment. A federal judge dismissed the classified documents case against Trump in July 2024, deeming Smith's appointment unconstitutional.
The FBI Agents Association criticized the mass firings under Patel, stating they weaken the Bureau in a press release. There is a pattern of staff purges under Patel, including agents deemed to lack 'conservative bona fides,' according to The Independent.