Latest news with #KashPatel
Mint
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Kash Patel not partying in Vegas? Deputy claims FBI director spends 13 hours in office
Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel spends nearly 13 hours in the office, his deputy has said, quashing all rumours that the FBI chief is often seen at nighclubs in Las Vegas. In an interview with Fox News, Dan Bongino gave a glimpse into the lives of FBI officials, including himself and Patel. Of Kash Patel, who has been accused of spending more time at nightclubs rather than the FBI headquarters, Bongino said he is 'there all day'. 'Kash is in the office by 6 am and rarely leaves before 7 pm If you think we are there for tea and crumpets… I mean, Kash is there all day,' Bongino said. He said that he goes to the office at 7:30 am as he does not use his apartment gym. Don Bongino also addressed the personal cost that comes with the job, revealing he is separated from his wife. 'I stare at these four walls all day in DC, you know, by myself, divorced from my wife. Not divorced, but I mean, separated. And it's hard.' 'My wife is struggling. But I am not a victim. I am not James Comey (former FBI director). I did this and I am proud that I did it,' the deputy director of the FBI said. Comey had earlier raised questions about Patel and Bongino's leadership. Addressing this, the FBI offcial said, 'There are lots of people in the FBI who know what they're doing. I hope these two guys are letting them guide them.' FBI director Kash Patel had earlier been accused of spending more of his time in nightclubs than at his workplace. Frank Figliuzzi, who was FBI's Assistant Director for Counterintelligence under Robert Mueller, claimed that US President Donald Trump's high-ranking officer is seldom spotted at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's office. However, Kash Patel has often been spotted spending his time elsewhere, the former FBI officer claimed. 'Reportedly, he's been visible at nightclubs far more than he has been on the seventh floor of the Hoover building,' Figliuzzi told Morning Joe co-host Jonathan Lemaire earlier this month. Figliuzzi further claimed that Kash Patel has been dividing his time between Washington DC and his home in Las Vegas.
News18
12 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Kash Patel Works 13-Hour Days, Deputy Defends Him: ‘We're Not At FBI For Tea...'
Last Updated: FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino came to Kash Patel's defense, strongly rejecting claims that the FBI chief is disengaged or distracted from his duties. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel is facing mounting criticism over his leadership, with former officials questioning his commitment and presence at the agency's Washington headquarters. However, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino came to his defense, strongly rejecting claims that Kash Patel is disengaged or distracted from his duties. In a recent appearance on Fox News, Dan Bongino said that both he and Kash Patel are dedicated to their roles. He said, pushing back on allegations that Kash Patel prioritizes social life over federal responsibilities, 'Kash is in the office by 6 a.m. and rarely leaves before 7 p.m. If you think we are there for tea and crumpets… I mean, Kash is there all day." Dan Bongino also addressed the personal cost of the job, revealing that his work schedule has strained his family life. He said, 'I stare at these four walls all day in DC, you know, by myself, divorced from my wife. Not divorced, but I mean, separated. And it's hard. My wife is struggling. But I'm not a victim. I am not James Comey. I did this and I'm proud." The remarks come amid intensified scrutiny, particularly from former FBI Director James Comey, who questioned Kash Patel and Dan Bongino's leadership. Speaking to CNN, James Comey said, 'There are lots of people in the FBI who know what they're doing. I hope these two guys are letting them guide them." James Comey, who was fired by then-President Donald Trump in 2017, remains a vocal critic of Trump-era appointees, including Kash Patel as he has pointed to delays in high-profile cases, such as the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Kash Patel's Nightclub Controversy Former FBI counterintelligence chief Frank Figliuzzi recently claimed that Kash Patel is frequently spotted at nightclubs and suggested his intelligence briefings had been reduced to twice a week. Dan Bongino emphasized that the FBI's top leadership remains focused on the agency's mission. He said, 'We're not mailing it in." Who Is Kash Patel? Kash Patel, born in 1980 to Gujarati parents in New York, was appointed FBI Director in February. He spent part of his early years in East Africa before returning to the US and attending Garden City High School in Long Island. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 31, 2025, 13:15 IST
Telegraph
a day ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Susie Wiles catfish texted contacts asking for cash and pardons
A catfish posing as Susie Wiles, Donald Trump's chief of staff, texted and called her contacts asking for cash and presidential pardons, it has been reported. Ms Wiles, who is considered the most powerful woman in the White House, has privately told colleagues her personal cell phone was hacked and mined for executive contacts. The FBI has launched an investigation following the breach. The impostor is said to have sent a series of text messages and phone calls to Republican lawmakers using Artificial Intelligence to mimic her voice, according to the Wall Street Journal. In one case, the impersonator is said to have asked for a cash transfer and in another, asked a lawmaker to put together a list of people who could be pardoned by Donald Trump. 'The White House takes the cybersecurity of all staff very seriously, and this matter continues to be investigated,' a White House spokeswoman said. 'The FBI takes all threats against the president, his staff, and our cybersecurity with the utmost seriousness,' Kash Patel, the FBI director, said in a statement. 'Safeguarding our administration officials' ability to securely communicate to accomplish the president's mission is a top priority.' 'Malicious voice messaging campaign' Earlier this month, the FBI warned of 'an ongoing malicious text and voice messaging campaign' where actors have impersonated senior US officials to target individuals. 'The malicious actors have sent text messages and AI-generated voice messages — techniques known as smishing and vishing, respectively — that claim to come from a senior US official in an effort to establish rapport before gaining access to personal accounts,' a warning by the bureau read in May. The White House has struggled with information security. A hacker who breached the communications service used by Mike Waltz, the former national security adviser, earlier this month intercepted messages from a broad swathe of American officials. And late last year, a White House official said the US believed that an alleged sweeping Chinese cyber espionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon targeted and recorded telephone calls of 'very senior' American political figures. Ms Wiles has reportedly been targeted by hackers at least once before, in the final months of Mr Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. At the time, hackers alleged by US authorities to be acting on behalf of Iran approached journalists and a political operative with a variety of messages sent to and from Ms Wiles, some of which were eventually published.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kash Patel gets to the office at 6 am, and doesn't leave before 7 pm: Deputy director on FBI life
FBI deputy director Dan Bongino said Kash Patel is always in the office. FBI director Kash Patel and deputy director Dan Bongino made a series of television appearances in the past few days to quell the MAGA tide turning against the FBI leadership, as the FBI has not yet delivered on their promise of the Epstein Files. In his latest appearance with Fox News, Dan Bongino gave a glimpse into the life of an FBI agent, saying he had given up everything for the job. "My wife is struggling. But I am not a victim. I am not James Comey (former FBI director). I did this and I am proud that I did it," Bongino said. "But if you think we are there for tea and crumpets...I mean Kash is there all day," Dan Bongino said, adding that their offices are so close that he gets to hear when Kash Patel opens a faucet. Bongino said Kash Patel gets to the office at 6 am and does not leave before 7 pm. Bongino said he goes to the office at 7.30 am as he does not use the gym and goes to his apartment gym. — JDunlap1974 (@JDunlap1974) "I stare at these four walls all day in DC, you know, by myself, divorced from my wife. Not divorced, but I mean, separated. And it's hard. We love each other, but it's hard to be apart," Bongino said. The revelation of Kash Patel's office timing is crucial, as the FBI director was recently accused of being uninterested in his job. A claim by a former FBI staff member went viral that Kash Patel is seen more at nightclubs and sports events than in the office, and that he changed the timing of the daily and weekly meetings to suit his convenience, as he mostly works from his Las Vegas home. The claim was called baseless by the FBI insiders and both Patel and Dan Bongino gave a series of interviews and became more proactive on social media giving FBI updates on X
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
FBI investigating efforts to impersonate White House chief of staff Susie Wiles
The FBI is investigating an apparent impersonator who pretended to be the White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, in texts and calls to her contacts, including prominent Republicans. Wiles has privately informed colleagues that the contacts in her personal cellphone were hacked, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal, and has been asking people to disregard messages and calls that aren't coming from her phone number. Wiles also has a government phone that wasn't affected by the hack. The impersonator texted one lawmaker for a list of people who should be pardoned, a request that was initially taken to be real. In another case, Wiles' impersonator asked for a cash transfer, according to the report. Some requests came off as suspicious as they contained questions about Donald Trump that Wiles would know, and had broken grammar in other cases. But some said that they had engaged with Wiles' impersonator before they realized it wasn't her. Contacts who spoke to the Journal anonymously said that some of the calls came from a voice that sounded like Wiles, leading some to believe that an impersonator is using artificial intelligence to mimic Wiles' voice. Wiles served as co-chair of Trump's presidential campaign and was deeply embedded in Florida politics as a lobbyist before she joined Trump's team. In a statement, the FBI director, Kash Patel, said the FBI is investigating the matter 'with the utmost seriousness'. 'Safeguarding our administration officials' ability to securely communicate to accomplish the president's mission is a top priority,' he said. The White House has still been grappling with the fallout of the so-called 'Signalgate' scandal, when senior Trump officials discussed sensitive military plans on a Signal group chat in March that included Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion Earlier this month, Trump demoted his national security adviser, Mike Waltz, who mistakenly added Goldberg to the group chat. A government oversight group has since sued the Trump administration over the potential deletion of sensitive conversations, which could violate federal recordkeeping laws. The US president has largely dismissed privacy concerns and said that Signalgate was 'not a big deal'. Reporting has also revealed that the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has shared details about a Yemen strike on a separate group that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer.
