FBI Director Kash Patel came under bipartisan fire Tuesday during a combative Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, during which lawmakers grilled him over the bureau’s handling of Charlie Kirk‘s assassination investigation, the Jeffrey Epstein case files, staffing shortages, and allegations of political retaliation.
The nearly five-hour session produced some of the most heated exchanges Patel has faced since taking the job. While the sharpest clashes centered on Kirk and Epstein, senators also raised alarms about the role of online platforms in fueling violence and exploitation.
Patel arrived in the committee room wearing what he called his “lucky tie,” a red Liverpool FC tie bearing the club’s famous slogan, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
Kirk investigation draws scrutiny
Patel opened the hearing by outlining the FBI’s timeline following Kirk’s Sept. 10 assassination at Utah Valley University, highlighting the speed of the manhunt. Patel said within hours, the bureau released suspect images and then enhanced video that led the shooter’s father to identify his son and turn him in.
“Less than a day later, the FBI, at my direction, released the first set of images … at 8 p.m., in partnership with the public, we released a newly enhanced video of the suspect. A few hours later, that suspect was in custody pursuant to the interrogation of the suspect’s own father,” Patel testified.
Patel said the bureau received more than 11,000 tips in the first 24 hours and credited agents who worked “through the night without sleep for days on end” to make the arrest.
However, Patel’s handling of the case drew controversy from the start. He was criticized after prematurely announcing on X that Kirk’s alleged killer had been captured, a claim he corrected about 90 minutes later in a follow-up post. His public misstep fueled confusion at a delicate stage of the investigation.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), a ranking member, accused Patel of “violating one of the basics of effective law enforcement” by rushing to take credit.
“You sparked mass confusion by incorrectly claiming on social media that the shooter was in custody, which you then had to walk back,” Durbin said. “You were so anxious to take credit for finding Mr. Kirk’s assailant … shut up and let the professionals do their job.”
Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) pressed Patel even further, saying his premature post risked discouraging the public from sharing tips.
“If you put out a statement that says we’ve got our man, in fact, it turns out that you didn’t have your man. That’s not a mistake?” Welch asked.
Patel rejected that framing, saying, “What we had at the time was a subject in custody in relation to this investigation. Could I have been more careful in my verbiage and included a subject instead of suspect? Sure, in the heat of the moment, but I was doing the best I could.”
Welch was unconvinced, adding, “If we have our man, that would suggest to the public that everybody can rest and relax and not then continue to provide information. So that was a mistake.”
Patel countered, “I don’t see it as a mistake. I see it as something working with the public to identify that there was a subject.”
Patel also revealed that the bureau is investigating Discord activity tied to the case. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) cited reports that “as many as 20 additional users” were in a chat with accused shooter Tyler Robinson. Patel said the number was far higher.
“It’s a lot more than that. We’re running them all down. It’s a lot more than 20,” he testified, adding that the FBI is investigating “every single one.”
Hawley replied, “Fantastic.”
Divisions over political violence
Democrats urged caution against inflaming partisan tensions as they responded to rising threats. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) pointed to a shooting in her state that targeted children at a Catholic church and the murder of Minnesota Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman, who was fatally shot alongside her husband just over three months ago.
She warned that violence cannot be seen solely through a partisan lens.
“Our political opponents are not our enemies,” Klobuchar said. “We should be working together to keep the American people safe.”
Durbin echoed that message, saying, “Democrats are not responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk, and Republicans are not responsible for the murder of Melissa Hortman. Our political opponents are not our enemies. We are all Americans.”
However, Republicans argued that the bureau has failed to be honest about the ideological nature of recent attacks. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) said it was “dishonest” to suggest the threat was evenly spread across the political spectrum.
“We are lying if we think that this is a both sides thing,” he said. “Political violence is always wrong, period, full stop. But in America today, political violence is not a problem that falls equally upon both sides.”
Schmitt then pressed Patel with a rapid-fire list of incidents, demanding that the director classify them as left- or right-wing.
“The man who tried to kill Republican congressmen at the congressional baseball practice, nearly killing Steve Scalise, left-wing or right-wing violence, sir?” Schmitt asked.
Patel responded, “I believe it was a left-wing ideology.”
Schmitt continued, “The riots during the summer of 2020, the so-called Summer of Love?”
Patel hesitated, “I’ll rely on you on these. I don’t have off the top of my head, okay.”
Schmitt replied, “Left-wing.”
From there, Schmitt rattled through a list that included the Waukesha Christmas parade massacre, the stabbing attempt on Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, the Covenant School shooting in Nashville, the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, and others. Each time, Schmitt labeled them left-wing attacks.
By the end, he delivered a blunt conclusion, saying, “So don’t give me this both sides bulls***, Mr. Director. If we want to get to unity, let’s be honest.”
Patel told lawmakers that the FBI is tracking 1,700 domestic terrorism cases, a 300% increase over the past year.
Heated clash over the Epstein files
The sharpest exchanges of the hearing came when senators turned to Epstein. Patel told lawmakers the FBI has found “no credible information” that Epstein trafficked minors to anyone beyond himself.
“If there were, I would bring the case yesterday … the answer is, no one for the information that we have in the files,” Patel said.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) pressed Patel repeatedly, warning that such answers would not put the matter to rest.
“I think you’re going to have to do more to satisfy the American people,” Kennedy said, stressing that the public wants a clear answer to the central question of whether Epstein supplied victims to anyone else.
Kennedy also demanded clarity on the pace of disclosures.
“So you’re releasing them a little bit at a time. Is that correct?” he asked.
Patel replied that three separate court orders bound the FBI, meaning it could only release what judges allowed.
“We’re releasing as much as we can … we will release everything we are legally permitted to do,” Patel testified, noting that the bureau will remain open to reviewing new evidence if it emerges.
Patel pointed to the limits of Epstein’s 2008 nonprosecution agreement and narrowly drawn search warrants, which he said hamstrung future prosecutions.”
Multiple administrations had the opportunity to look at the entirety of that case file and recommend prosecutions … the only person to bring charges was the prior administration against Mr. Epstein,” Patel said. “What exists in the Epstein case files was a direct result of the limited search warrants from 2006 and 2007, which hamstrung future investigations.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Judiciary Committee chairman, who has pushed for greater transparency on Epstein since 2019, pressed Patel directly on whether Epstein ever worked as an intelligence asset.
Patel responded, “I can only speak to the FBI … Mr. Epstein was not a source.”
Grassley then demanded a commitment to releasing classified and unclassified records tied to Epstein. Patel agreed, pledging to provide everything the bureau can legally disclose.
Democrats were not satisfied either. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) challenged Patel about why a July 7 memorandum summarizing the bureau’s review of 100,000 Epstein-related records was unsigned.
Patel snapped back, “Would you prefer I used autopen?”
The remark drew frustration from Democrats, who accused Patel of stonewalling.
Despite Patel’s insistence that the FBI is releasing everything it can, the exchanges underscored how both parties remain deeply skeptical about the bureau’s transparency on Epstein.
Major fireworks inside the Senate Judiciary hearing right now with @CoryBooker and @FBIDirectorKash: pic.twitter.com/Pvg38Rnp25
— Samantha-Jo Roth (@SamanthaJoRoth) September 16, 2025
The most tense moment came when Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) confronted Patel with transcripts of FBI interviews with Ghislaine Maxwell. Schiff cited her remarks describing a “cast of characters,” including men in government, who spent time with Epstein. He demanded that Patel identify who Maxwell was referring to. Patel refused, saying the full transcripts were released and contained no prosecutable leads.
The exchange quickly devolved into a shouting match, with Schiff pressing, “You want the American people to believe that her transfer to a minimum-security facility right after those statements was completely unrelated? Do you think they’re stupid?”
Patel shot back, raising his voice, “I’m not in the weeds on the everyday movements of the Bureau of Prisons. What I am doing is protecting this country … and combating the weaponization of intelligence.”
The two men talked over one another as Patel escalated further, launching into a tirade.
“You are the biggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate, a disgrace to this institution … you are a political buffoon at best,” Patel shouted while Schiff accused Patel of stonewalling and misleading the public.
Staffing shortages, retaliation, and political pressure
Democrats zeroed in on the bureau’s workforce challenges, accusing Patel of hollowing out the FBI and undermining its readiness. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) questioned why the FBI requested $500 million less in funding despite mounting vacancies.
“If hundreds of agents have retired or taken the fork-in-the-road offer and you have vacancies, but you’re requesting $500 million less, how does having fewer FBI agents help you tackle violent crime and address our national security issues?” Coons asked.
Patel acknowledged the scope of the problem, noting the bureau cannot hire and train new agents overnight.
“If we had this $500 million … it would take us 14 years to onboard every vacancy that’s on the books currently at the FBI,” he said.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) went further, accusing Patel of gutting the bureau’s institutional expertise. He pressed Patel on whether he discussed firing agents with the White House before his confirmation, and warned that his tenure may be short-lived.
“I think you’re not going to be around long,” Booker said. “This may be your last oversight hearing … Donald Trump is not loyal to people like you. He will cut you loose.”
Patel denied politicizing staffing changes, insisting the only cuts were due to “eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) cut in with a practical question, asking, “Do you have enough money to run the FBI at a high level?”
Patel replied, “Yes, sir. With what we have now, yes.”
Graham pressed further, asking, “Even with the retirements, the vacancies, and the cuts you’ve made, you’re confident you can do the job?”
Patel answered firmly, “We are confident, senator. We’ll continue to meet our mission.”
The issue boiled over again during a fiery clash with Schiff, who accused Patel of retaliating against agents involved in Trump-related investigations, including Jan. 6. Schiff demanded a yes-or-no answer on whether Patel had terminated anyone for case assignments. Patel refused, calling it a “trap.” Schiff then pressed harder, and Patel erupted, saying, “Anyone that was terminated at the FBI was done so to meet the standards, uphold their constitutional oath, and effectuate the mission.”
Schiff accused Patel of lying, and Patel shot back, accusing Schiff of fundraising off the issue.
Social media and online threats
Beyond the Discord revelations in the Kirk case, senators pressed Patel on the broader dangers of online platforms. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle raised concerns about how gangs, traffickers, and predators exploit social media networks.
Patel said more must be done to hold platforms accountable.
“We need to make parents across the country aware of how invasive some of these social media sites are, and how much criminal enterprise is going on,” he said, calling for reforms to Section 230. “Nobody’s being held accountable. They’re making money, and our youth is dying, and that’s just unacceptable.”
Graham pressed Patel on whether it was time for Congress to act, asking, “Do you think it’s now time for America to deal with this problem?”
FBI INVESTIGATING MORE THAN 20 PEOPLE IN DISCORD GROUP TIED TO CHARLIE KIRK MURDER SUSPECT
Patel responded, “I’m all in. I have been all in, and I’m happy to work with Congress to do so.”
Graham welcomed the commitment, saying, “Having the FBI director all in is great news for me, and I hope the committee will respond.”