FBI Director Kash Patel is facing harsh criticism during his short time in office as his controversies mount. A leaked report from current and former bureau insiders describes the FBI as a “rudderless ship.” They say he is “in over his head” and the agency is plagued by fear and dysfunction.
This assessment, prepared for the House and Senate Judiciary Committees and obtained by the New York Post, is over a hundred pages long and includes interviews with two dozen FBI sources. Insiders claim Patel has turned the country’s top law enforcement agency into a “chronically under-performing” institution. They say it is “internally paralyzed by fear,” and managers are too afraid of losing their jobs to act without clear orders from him.
Two sources say Patel is “in over his head,” arguing that he lacks the necessary knowledge and understanding of the FBI’s complex investigative and intelligence programs. The report indicates senior staff now spend as much time trying to gauge Patel’s moods as they do managing cases. They worry that an unwanted decision or initiative could lead to their firing.
Agents accuse Patel of “creating a culture of mistrust and uncertainty among the ranks.” They say internal communication has dwindled while Patel and his close circle focus on crafting messages for conservative media and social platforms. The report suggests that leadership’s priorities are easier to follow on social media than through official bureau memos.
According to a new report from active-duty and retired FBI agents, there was a bit of an issue when Patel arrived at Provo in the aftermath of the Kirk assassination: he would not leave the plane without an FBI raid jacket. They found a female special agents’ jacket for him. But… pic.twitter.com/q8a4cILAfV
— Sam Stein (@samstein) December 1, 2025
One particular story has circulated through FBI circles, highlighting this resentment. The day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was murdered in Utah, Patel flew into Provo on the FBI jet to visit the Salt Lake City field office handling the case. A “highly respected” FBI veteran quoted in the report said Patel “would not disembark from the plane without an FBI raid jacket.”
“Patel apparently did not have his own FBI raid jacket and refused to step off the plane without wearing one,” the assessment states. Agents, already juggling a high-profile murder investigation, were ordered to put aside their tasks and find a medium-sized jacket that would fit the director.
When a jacket belonging to a female agent was finally found, Patel allegedly complained that “two areas on the upper sleeves did not have Velcro patches attached” and would not leave the plane until this issue was resolved. In another account, agents told investigators that SWAT officers had to strip patches from their own gear to meet his demands.
The report also includes his other controversies, including his reluctance to release the Epstein files and accusations of misusing FBI resources for personal travel with his girlfriend. He has also been criticized for spending too much time on social media and public relations.
Not every voice in the document is negative. Some agents praise Patel for rolling back diversity and equity initiatives and taking a tougher stance on immigration enforcement. A few argue that his removal of senior officials didn’t go far enough. However, even these positives are overshadowed by concerns that the damage to morale, internal trust, and international collaborations could last well beyond Patel’s time in the Hoover Building.
