Indian-American Kash Patel was officially sworn in as the ninth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday, taking his oath on the sacred Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita.
Patel’s family members and his girlfriend were present at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building during the ceremony, where he was sworn in by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi following his confirmation by the U.S. Senate. He succeeds Christopher Wray as the head of the agency.
Patel is not the first Indian-American to take the oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita; earlier, Congressman Suhas Subramanyam also chose the Hindu scripture for his swearing-in ceremony.
‘The American Dream’
Calling his appointment “the greatest honour” of his life, Patel emphasized his journey as a first-generation Indian-American.
“And anyone who thinks the American dream is dead, look right here. You are talking to a first-generation Indian who is about to lead the law enforcement agency of the greatest nation on earth. That can’t happen anywhere else,” he said.
Patel also affirmed his dedication to accountability within and outside the FBI.
Following the ceremony, the White House posted on its official X account, stating, “It’s time we restore integrity and justice at the FBI. MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!”
Trump Praises Patel
Speaking ahead of Patel’s swearing-in, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed strong confidence in his appointment.
“I think he’ll go down as the best ever at that position,” Trump said, adding, “The agents love this guy.”
Trump further remarked, “Turned out he was very easy to get approved. He is a tough and strong guy. He has his opinions. Trey Gowdy came out with an incredible statement and said that Kash is an incredible person and people don’t realise it. When he said that, there was no doubt left. It was a big statement made by someone who is respected and is on the moderate side.”
Concerns from Democrats
Despite Trump’s endorsement, Patel’s appointment has raised concerns among Democrats, who fear that he may act as a loyalist to the president and misuse the FBI’s authority to target Trump’s political adversaries.
Critics referenced Patel’s past remarks, where he had stated that he would “come after” anti-Trump “conspirators” within the government and media.
During his confirmation hearing, Patel sought to address these concerns, stating that he intended to uphold the U.S. Constitution and had no plans to pursue retribution. At the oath ceremony, he also dismissed certain reports about him as “fake, malicious, slanderous, and defamatory.”
Vision for the FBI
Patel has indicated his plans to introduce significant changes at the FBI, including reducing the agency’s presence in Washington, D.C. and refocusing on its core crime-fighting mission rather than intelligence-gathering, which has played a major role in the FBI’s operations over the last two decades.
Speaking on Friday, Patel reaffirmed the importance of the FBI’s national security responsibilities alongside its efforts to combat violent crimes and drug-related offenses.
“Anyone that wishes to do harm to our way of life and our citizens, here and abroad, will face the full wrath of the DOJ and FBI,” Patel stated. He further warned, “If you seek to hide in any corner of this country or planet, we will put on the world’s largest manhunt and we will find you and we will decide your end-state.”
Background and FBI Leadership
Before being nominated to replace Christopher Wray in November, Patel served as a counterterrorism prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice.
FBI directors are typically appointed for a 10-year term to maintain their independence from political influence. However, Trump previously dismissed James Comey, whom he had inherited from the Obama administration, after three years in office, and later replaced Wray after more than seven years in the role.