‘Not Going to Take This Laying Down’: Kash Patel Announces Move Against Media Hit Piece
FBI Director Kash Patel said he was prepared to sue The Atlantic over an article describing him as having “bouts of excessive drinking” during his time leading the FBI, while he defended his record on Maria Bartiromo’s show.
Key points:
– Patel claimed the article’s portrayal was false and accused “fake news” of attacking his character.
– He touted FBI accomplishments under trump, including a reported 20% drop in homicide, a 20-point decrease in opioid overdose deaths, the identification of 6,300 child victims, and large fentanyl seizures (including quantities enough to kill hundreds of millions).
– He claimed work with China to curb fentanyl precursors,engagement in Busan,and the capture of eight of the world’s top 10 fugitives,comparing these efforts favorably to actions by the Biden administration.
– Patel acknowledged he would sue The Atlantic for defamation; Bartiromo pressed him about the threat, and he confirmed the plan.
– The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, said they stand by their reporting.
– The piece also notes Patel’s past partisan criticism for celebrating with the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team, and includes boilerplate about DCNF licensing and republishing guidelines.
FBI Director Kash Patel testifies at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on March 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee / Getty Images)
By Harold Hutchison April 25, 2026 at 7:00am
FBI Director Kash Patel told “Sunday Morning Futures” host Maria Bartiromo he was prepared to sue The Atlantic over an article the outlet published about his alleged performance while leading the federal law enforcement agency.
The Atlantic published an article Friday in which Patel was described as having “bouts of excessive drinking” that concerned Trump administration officials.
Bartiromo questioned Patel about the article’s veracity, which prompted him to push back hard.
“Look, Maria, you and I have been at this together for a long time, whether I was leading the investigation on Russiagate back in the House or my time in the Trump Admin One and now, and the results, I say, speak for themselves,” Patel responded.
“If the fake news mafia isn’t hitting you personally with baseless information in Washington, D.C., then you’re not doing your job, and it’s louder than ever because this FBI, under President Trump’s brilliant leadership in backing the blue and backing law enforcement, this FBI has the most prolific year in crime in the United States’s history, a 20 percent reduction in the homicide rate, a 20 point drop in opiate overdose deaths.”
“We have found and identified 6,300 child victims: 6,300 kids get to go home to their [parents], that’s a 30 percent increase. Seizing enough fentanyl to kill 180 million Americans, that’s a 31 percent increase,” Patel continued.
“Our deal with China, where we stop the flow of fentanyl precursors, our historic engagement thanks to President Trump in Busan, and our work continues. We’ve captured eight of the top 10 most-wanted fugitives in the world, to include rapists, murderers, terrorists, and narco traffickers: that’s twice as many as Joe Biden did in four years.”
Patel came under partisan fire for celebrating with the U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team after they won the gold medal during the Winter Olympics in February.
“Maria, I’m happy to announce on your show that we’re not going to take this laying down. You want to attack my character? Come at me, bring it on, I’ll see you in court,” Patel said, prompting Bartiromo to ask, “So you’re going to sue them?”
“Absolutely, it’s coming tomorrow,” Patel responded, later telling Bartiromo he would accuse The Atlantic of “defamation.”
“We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel,” Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief told the Daily Caller News Foundation when reached for comment.
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