‘This Is My Time’: Kash Patel Shuts Down Cory Booker In Heated Capitol Hill Clash

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) attempted to steamroll FBI Director Kash Patel during a testy Capitol Hill hearing on Tuesday, but Patel pushed right back — and Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) quickly backed Patel.

Booker had the chance, as a member of the committee, to question Patel during his allotted time — and he did ask a few questions of the FBI director, although he spent the majority of his time pontificating about his assessment of Patel’s job performance thus far. When he’d exhausted his own time, Grassley allowed Patel to respond — but Booker could not resist the opportunity and began to protest while he was speaking.

WATCH:

Democratic Sen. Cory Booker and FBI Director Kash Patel clashed during a Senate hearing, with Booker accusing Patel of making the country “weaker and less safe.”

“That rant of false information does not bring this country together,” Patel responded. https://t.co/SoVf1ll1rm pic.twitter.com/LqCJFE4zzi

— ABC News (@ABC) September 16, 2025

Booker began by claiming that the FBI’s mission was being compromised and agents were being “reassigned” to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, and argued that Patel was failing the agency by firing a number of agents with years of experience and seniority.

“Because of your failures of leadership, I don’t think you’re fit to lead the bureau. Here’s the thing, Mr. Patel, I think you’re not going to be around long. I think this might be your last full oversight hearing. Because as much as you supplicate yourself to the will of Donald Trump and not the Constitution of the United States of America, Donald Trump has shown us in his first term, and in this term, he is not loyal to people like you. He will cut you loose,” Booker claimed. “This may be the last time I have a hearing with you, because I don’t think you’re long for your job.”

When the New Jersey Senator had finished, Grassley offered Patel the chance to respond, uninterrupted, and he took it.

“Sir, that rant of false information does not bring this country together,” Patel began. “If you want to work on bringing this country together — it’s my time, not yours.”

“My God. My God,” Booker’s tone grew increasingly dramatic. “You’re going to lecture me about dividing this country?”

Booker then claimed that he followed Patel’s social media posts “that tear this country apart” — all while Patel attempted to continue his testimony and Grassley banged his gavel, chastising Booker for interrupting.

“It is my time,” Patel repeated. “You had your time. Your time is over.”

“Sir, you don’t tell me my time is over,” Booker insisted, pointing a finger at Patel. “The people of New Jersey tell me what my time is — you can’t lecture me —”

The crosstalk continued until Grassley once again banged the gavel, reminding Booker that he had, in fact, already had his time to talk and Patel was to be allowed to continue.

Patel followed with a list of the accomplishments made by the bureau under his leadership, pointedly addressing Booker as he argued that a “failing” leader could not have made such gains.