For weeks, FBI agents waited for the arrival of their new director, Kash Patel, who has spent years bashing the bureau for its investigations into President Trump and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Top agents around the U.S. eagerly awaited a videoconference call on Wednesday with Patel wondering what he would say after weeks of chaos and fear have gripped the agency. Reactions were mixed, reports the New York Times. Patel covered a whirlwind of topics in 30 minutes. He said his priorities included crushing violent crime and defending national security. He complained about leaks to the news media, a tradition among FBI directors. The call — usually reserved for the most serious topics — was also surprising in many ways. Patel disregarded his briefing book, a staple for any serious meeting, and said he did not like to read them. He said he was not big on meetings or wearing suits.
It was not clear if he would continue to schedule the Wednesday calls with the same frequency, which Christopher Wray, his predecessor, inherited from James Comey, whom Trump fired in 2017. Wray stepped down on Jan. 20 rather than be fired. At one point in the call, Patel stepped away, leaving Robert Kissane, his acting deputy, and Jodi Cohen, the acting No. 3, to fill the time. Patel said he would like to partner with Ultimate Fighting Championship, the popular mixed martial arts company. His incoming deputy, Dan Bongino, is a big fan. Patel also indicated that he wanted to revamp the bureau’s physical fitness test and spend more time in Nevada, where he lives, and the West Coast. Patel said his visits to field offices with Bongino would be surprises because he did not want to stress employees out. He added that the bureau had to rebuild trust with the public but said it was already improving since he was sworn in last week. It.was not lost on people listening to the call that Patel played a pivotal role in degrading the bureau’s reputation by attacking its investigation into the nature of ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. Patel used the words intelligence and counterintelligence interchangeably, suggesting that he was confusing them, sources said. Both have distinct but vital roles at the agency.