FBI Director Kash Patel is under fire for his moves during the probe into the killing of conservative star Charlie Kirk. Critics say his choices show poor judgment in a tough time. This story looks at the drama from the shooting to the arrest. It highlights worries from ex-officials and defenses from the White House. The case has sparked big talks about FBI leadership.
What Happened in the Case
- Charlie Kirk, a top conservative voice, was shot dead on Wednesday at Utah Valley University. He was a close friend to many in right-wing circles, including Patel.
- The hunt for the killer went fast. By Friday, cops arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspect. This ended a tense two-day search.
- Patel led the FBI’s work on the case. But his actions drew sharp words from insiders. Four ex-FBI bosses and two admin folks shared doubts with NBC News.
Many spoke without names. Some fear payback from the Trump team. Others lack okay to talk public.
Early Criticisms of Patel’s Choices
Patel’s steps from Wednesday night to Friday raised red flags. One ex-official called his post-arrest boasts “grandstanding.” It made some shake their heads.
An admin source said, “He has heard concerns about how this looks.”
Christopher O’Leary, a top ex-FBI counterterror guy, slammed Patel hard. He said the handling proves “he’s got zero leadership experience and capabilities.”
A now-active cop source added the sad event showed Patel’s “public inability to meet the moment as a leader.”
But the White House backs him strong. One official said Patel “is working night and day” on it. They called doubts a “disgusting act of political gamesmanship.” The focus stays on justice, they said. The killer will face full force of the law.
A top White House voice noted Sunday that President Donald Trump trusts Patel. “The president spoke on it this morning and said he thinks everyone has done an amazing job,” the official shared.
On Fox & Friends Monday, Patel hit back. He admitted maybe better words in the heat, but no regrets on sharing. “I was telling the world what the FBI was doing as we were doing,” he said. He claimed top transparency under his watch.
The Rao’s Dinner Question
Right after the shooting, Patel went to fancy Rao’s in New York. Two sources know his spot that night. Rao’s is hard to book—it’s elite on the Upper East Side.
Patel posted on X at 6:21 p.m. ET: “the subject” in Kirk’s killing was “in custody.” Then, 90 minutes later at 7:59 p.m., he said the “subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement.”
Rao’s opens at 7 p.m. It’s not sure if he posted the second from there. The eatery skipped comment.
Four ex-top FBI folks called the posts too soon and not needed. O’Leary, an MSNBC security voice, said they hurt trust in the bureau.
“They gave the public the perception that the FBI is not that organized at a time when the public is concerned because there’s an unfolding crisis,” O’Leary explained. “They need to be reassured that the FBI and its partners have the situation under control, and that is done through accurate strategic messaging.”
The FBI’s rep said: “The FBI worked with our law enforcement partners in Utah to bring to justice the individual allegedly responsible for the horrific murder of Charlie Kirk, and we will continue to be transparent with the American people with real-time updates as we are able.”
Posts That Stirred Trouble
Two ex-senior FBI sources said the custody post was way early.
“He should not have posted anything about the case until there was certainty,” one said. “People need to trust what the director says. He needs to be measured and always right. It wasn’t a good look.”
The other added, “investigations aren’t a publicity contest” or about “who can tweet out information first.”
Tense Call with Agents
The morning after the hit, with the bad guy still free, Patel and his number two, Dan Bongino, jumped on a call with agents across the U.S. Two cop sources and one admin official described it as heated.
Patel and Bongino cursed a lot. They felt big heat to nab the shooter, per The New York Times from three who heard it. Patel ripped Salt Lake City agents for slow suspect photos.
That afternoon, after 9/11 events, Patel flew from New York to Utah. Two unnamed admin sources said bosses told him: no press talks or shows till arrest.
Thursday night, he showed at a Utah news event with local bigwigs but stayed mum. One source praised that quiet choice.
But a third ex-FBI senior knocked the trip. “No serious director would show up at this stage,” he said. “They can’t help. They can only distract. Every agent needed to support the visit is an agent not available to work the case.”
Post-Arrest Boasts and Clash
Saturday, after Robinson’s grab, Patel posted on X that FBI cracked it by bucking other cops.
“Against all law enforcement recommendations, we demanded the video footage and enhanced stills of the suspect be released to the public,” he wrote. “Robinson’s father, who ultimately turned him in to authorities, told law enforcement that he recognized his son in that released video.”
Utah’s Public Safety Department fired back. They stressed a “unified investigation.”
A rep said they tried face-scan tech first for surprise and to skip wrong picks. “We did not recommend they not be released, however we first used technology [facial recognition] to try to identify,” the rep noted. “When that was unsuccessful we were fully supportive and in agreement we should release the photos.”
An ex-top cop from a big force, who teamed with FBI often, questioned the digs at locals.
He said FBI brings big tools but lets trusted locals front it. “These things should be left to the actual on-the-ground investigators,” he said, unnamed over fear.
He guessed Patel bashed Utah to wow Trump and save his gig. “it never benefits the FBI to criticize the locals” and added that Patel seemed “grandstanding to impress an audience of one.”
History of Tough Management
O’Leary, now at Soufan Group security firm, pointed to Patel’s bureau style: firing bosses and agents who probed Trump or Jan. 6 mess.
Last month, they booted Brian Driscoll, ex-acting director who shielded Jan. 6 workers. Driscoll and two others sued Patel last week for jobs back.
They also dropped and pushed out Mehtab Syed, Salt Lake head. Syed handled big terror and spy cases. Why? Not clear.
“The corrosive nature of their policies is starting to have an impact,” O’Leary said. “And it is leading to generational destruction to an institution that is essential to the protection of our nation, both from external and internal actors.”
Why This Matters Now
The Kirk case tests Patel’s chops in crisis. As FBI boss under Trump, eyes watch for steady hand. Critics fear his style hurts teamwork and trust.
Supporters see a fighter for truth in a sad time. Trump’s nod boosts him, but whispers grow.
This hits at bigger FBI shifts. Loyalty clashes with old norms. As the trial looms, questions linger on Patel’s fit.
The story, from NBC, draws on many voices for full view. It shows split views on a key player.
