FBI Director Kash Patel ratcheted up his fight with Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen on Tuesday, posting on social media an expensive tab run up by the Democrat senator’s campaign at a swanky bar in Washington, D.C.
Patel and Van Hollen <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kash-patel-lays-into-dem-senator-for-slinging-margaritas-with-gang-banging-rapist?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Kash+Patel+Lays+Into+Dem+Senator+For+‘Slinging+Margaritas’+With+‘Gang-Banging+Rapist’">clashed</a> during a hearing earlier on Tuesday over claims published in The Atlantic that the FBI chief had a drinking problem. After the hearing, Patel <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2054294261986660537">posted</a> a campaign filing from December 12, 2025, showing that Van Hollen’s campaign spent $7,128 during an event at the Lobby Bar in D.C. 
“The only person that ran up a $7,000 bar tab in Washington, D.C., at the Lobby Bar was you. The only individual in this room that has been drinking on the taxpayer dime during the day is you,” Patel said during the hearing. 
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1094259" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.38.59-AM.png" alt="" width="882" height="1050" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.38.59-AM.png 882w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.38.59-AM-252x300.png 252w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.38.59-AM-484x576.png 484w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.38.59-AM-768x914.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 882px) 100vw, 882px" /></div>
A spokesman for Van Hollen <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/kash-patel-chris-van-hollen-trade-alcohol-allegations-senate-hearing-rcna344804">told</a> NBC that “this was a catering charge at a local restaurant where the Senator hosted an after-hours holiday reception as a thank you to the 50+ members of our team, paid for by campaign funds — not taxpayer dollars.”
During Tuesday’s hearing, Van Hollen attacked Patel over allegations of drinking on the job. 
“Director Patel, these reports about your conduct, including reports of your being so drunk and hungover that your staff had to force entry into your home, are extremely alarming,” Van Hollen said.
“So, there have been no occasions when your security detail had difficulty waking or locating you?” Van Hollen asked Patel.
“Nope, it’s a total farce. I don’t even know where you get this stuff, but it doesn’t make it credible, because you say so,” Patel fired back. 
Patel filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic over its report featuring anonymous sources accusing the FBI director of having a drinking problem. In response to Van Hollen’s accusations, Patel hit back by pointing to a photo posted by El Salavador President Nayib Bukele <a href="https://x.com/nayibbukele/status/1913028548001923259">showing</a> the Democrat senator seated next to accused MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia at a table with what appear to be margaritas.
Bukele captioned the photo by saying that Abrego Garica was “sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador.”
<div id="attachment_1094261" style="width: 1594px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1094261" class="wp-image-1094261 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.08.31-AM.png" alt="" width="1584" height="1028" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.08.31-AM.png 1584w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.08.31-AM-300x195.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.08.31-AM-888x576.png 888w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.08.31-AM-768x498.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-7.08.31-AM-1536x997.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1584px) 100vw, 1584px" />Credit: Nayib Bukele</div>
“Unlike your baseless reports, the only person that was slinging margaritas in El Salvador on the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gang-banging rapist was you,” Patel said. 
Both Patel and Van Hollen challenged each other to take sobriety tests during the hearing.

Kash Patel/Chris Van Hollen

SEE IT: Patel Posts Hefty Bar Receipt After Ripping Dem For Drinking With ‘Gang-Banging Rapist’

Alcohol

Chris Van Hollen

Democrat

El Salvador

kash patel

Kilmar Abrego Garcia

FBI Director Kash Patel clashed with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) on Tuesday over accusations that the federal law enforcement chief has a drinking problem. 
At a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Van Hollen bombarded Patel with questions about his alleged drinking habits and whether he abused government funds for personal travel. 
&#8220;Director Patel, these reports about your conduct, including reports of your being so drunk and hungover that your staff had to force entry into your home, are extremely alarming,&#8221; Van Hollen said.
The Democrat appeared to be referencing allegations published by The Atlantic, which Patel called a “malicious and defamatory hit piece.” Patel has also filed a $250 million lawsuit against the publication, as previously<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-now-know-how-much-kash-patel-is-suing-the-atlantic-for?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=52&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=We+Now+Know+How+Much+Kash+Patel+Is+Suing+The+Atlantic+For"> reported by The Daily Wire.</a>
The story portrayed an absent FBI chief struggling with substance abuse, which is said to be affecting key investigations, including the murder of Charlie Kirk.
“So, there have been no occasions when your security detail had difficulty waking or locating you?” Van Hollen asked Patel.
&#8220;Nope, it&#8217;s a total farce. I don&#8217;t even know where you get this stuff, but it doesn&#8217;t make it credible, because you say so,&#8221; Patel fired back. 
 &#8220;I&#8217;m not saying it,&#8221; Van Hollen said, citing news reports. 
&#8220;You are literally saying it,&#8221; Patel responded.
&#8220;The only person that was slinging margaritas in El Salvador on the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gang-banging rapist was you&#8230; the only individual in this room that has been drinking on taxpayers&#8217; dime during the day is you,&#8221; Patel said, referencing Van Hollen&#8217;s infamous photo-op with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBIDirectorKash</a> COOKS <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisVanHollen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChrisVanHollen</a>: &#8220;The only person that was slinging margaritas in El Salvador on the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gang-banging rapist was you&#8230; the only individual in this room that has been drinking on taxpayer dime during the day is YOU.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/UPtB9jL7pv">pic.twitter.com/UPtB9jL7pv</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2054272390532632955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
Van Hollen rejected Patel&#8217;s &#8220;blow up,&#8221; saying the FBI chief made<a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2054295283186487470?s=20"> &#8220;provably false statements.&#8221;</a>
The heated confrontation escalated further, with both men challenging each other to take sobriety tests.
“Are you willing to take the test … it’s called the audit test that members of our active duty military and others take to determine whether they have a drinking problem?” the Democratic senator asked.
“I’ll take any tests you’re willing to take,” Patel fired back.
“I will take it. Director Patel, I’ll take it,” Van Hollen said. “You’re ready to take it?”
&#8220;Let&#8217;s go, side-by-side,&#8221; Patel shot back.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
FBI Director Kash Patel blows up at Senator Van Hollen as Van Hollen asks him about allegations in reporting from The Atlantic:
The only person that was slinging margaritas in El Salvador and the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gang banging rapist was you. <a href="https://t.co/vGxnqzP66M">pic.twitter.com/vGxnqzP66M</a>
— Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/2054271883823173801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>

FBI Director Kash Patel

Kash Patel Lays Into Dem Senator For ‘Slinging Margaritas’ With ‘Gang-Banging Rapist’

News

U.S. Senate

A former FBI official who oversaw the agency&#8217;s production of an infamous memo targeting “Radical Traditional Catholics” joked about how it would make good fodder for a memoir, according to emails viewed by The Daily Wire. 
Stanley Meador, who now works in Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger&#8217;s administration, ran the FBI’s Richmond field office when it produced an <a href="https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/fbi-anti-catholic-memo.pdf">internal memo</a> attempting to link traditional Catholic beliefs to criminal activity. After backlash to the memo, Meador downplayed it and suggested that one of the agents who produced it include it in their memoirs, according to emails released by the Justice Department. 
“No apology needed [redacted],” he wrote on July 7, 2023. “I’m glad you are on the team and thankful for your commitment. Keep that head up, this too shall pass. Will make for a great chapter in your memoirs some day!”
<div id="attachment_1086743" style="width: 1601px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1086743" class="size-full wp-image-1086743" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-29-at-2.05.35-PM.png" alt="" width="1591" height="495" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-29-at-2.05.35-PM.png 1591w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-29-at-2.05.35-PM-300x93.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-29-at-2.05.35-PM-1024x319.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-29-at-2.05.35-PM-768x239.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-29-at-2.05.35-PM-1536x478.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1591px) 100vw, 1591px" />Justice Department report.</div>
The emails were included in a Justice Department report released Thursday morning on anti-Christian bias from the federal government during the Biden administration. 
The document, referred to as the “Richmond Memo,” relied on the leftist Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), now facing criminal wire fraud charges, to link racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists with what the agency called “radical-traditionalist” Catholic beliefs. The memo was retracted shortly after it was leaked in February 2023, generating outrage from Republican lawmakers and Catholics. 
Meador’s July 7 email came after one of the FBI agents involved in crafting the memo apologized over the document.
“I am terribly sorry for all that everyone has had to endure as a result of this product. Each person negatively impacted is a trusted colleague and/or supervisor whom I deeply respect and admire,” the unidentified FBI employee wrote. “I feel personally responsible as I should have known the potential DT pitfalls and the susceptibility to politicization surrounding this paper better than anyone. Thanks for supporting us and please accept my sincerest apologies.”
Meador, now <a href="https://www.governor.virginia.gov/cabinet/name-1081469-en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Secretary</a> of Public Safety and Homeland Security in Virginia, was removed from the FBI in June 2025 after serving for over two decades with the agency. 
The Richmond Memo was an FBI product known as a “Domain Perspective,” or an internal threat assessment document. The document argued that the FBI should pursue threat mitigation based on the interest in violent extremists in so-called “radical-traditionalist Catholic (RTC) ideology.” Using SPLC data, the FBI identified nine of these groups.
Other documents included in Thursday&#8217;s Justice Department report showed that intelligence officers inside the FBI expressed concerns about the citation of the SPLC, but were ignored by leadership. 
“This product cites more subjective information from SPLC (a list of hate groups) without examining SPLC’s threshold for determining a hate group or explanation of how that threshold aligns with the FBI’s definition,” one intelligence officer wrote. “This product’s Source Summary Statement does not address factors that would affect the quality and credibility of SPLC as a source for subjective information, such as it previously issuing apologies and retracting its naming of individuals or groups as extremist.”
The DOJ wrote in its anti-Christian bias report that the FBI used “an unsubstantiated claim by the Southern Poverty Law Center that several traditional Catholic churches were ‘hate groups’ — as justification to launch a two-pronged attack against traditional Catholics.”
“FBI Richmond thus assessed that traditional Catholics and racially motivated violent extremists may share ‘common cause’ on issues of ‘abortion rights, immigration, affirmative action, and LGBTQ protections,’” the DOJ wrote Thursday. “In an appendix, the Domain Perspective cited to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s identification of radical traditional Catholics.”
As criticism mounted, former President Joe Biden&#8217;s FBI Director Christopher Wray said the Richmond Memo did &#8220;not reflect FBI standards.”
“We do not conduct investigations based on religious affiliation or practices, full stop,” Wray said. “We have also now ordered our inspection division to take a look at how this happened and try to figure out how we can make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.”
In an interview with the task force investigating anti-Christian bias, FBI Director Kash Patel said his team did a deep dive into the Richmond Memo. 
“We came to learn that companies like the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League were out there working with the FBI, giving them false information to generate a memo that allowed law enforcement a [] &#8216;justification&#8217; to go after and attack people of faith,” Patel said. 
The DOJ report also details how the Biden administration targeted pro-life Christians for peaceful protests and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-biden-partnered-with-abortion-activists-to-track-and-imprison-pro-lifers?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=BREAKING%3A+How+Biden+Partnered+With+Abortion+Activists+To+Track+And+Imprison+Pro-Lifers">outlines</a> other Biden-era policies that suppressed Christian expression.
The release of the report comes one day after The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-biden-doj-lawyers-fantasized-about-prosecuting-catholic-nuns-emails-show?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=Exclusive&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Biden+DOJ+Lawyers+Fantasized+About+Prosecuting+Catholic+Nuns%2C+Emails+Show">obtained text messages</a> from Biden-era DOJ prosecutors discussing their desires to target Catholic nuns. One prosecutor said he would &#8220;like to prosecute any nun who still wears the head habit,&#8221; when working on January 6-related cases.

MixCollage-29-Apr-2026-03-15-PM-9949

READ IT: The Internal ‘Joke’ That Followed The Biden-Era FBI Targeting Of Catholics

abigail spanberger

Biden Administration

Catholic Church

Christopher Wray

Department of Justice

Trump Administration

Virginia

In an appearance that would make Machiavelli blush, Illinois Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker took to the airwaves to project the very authoritarianism he claims to despise onto his political rivals.
Speaking on &#8220;Meet the Press Now,&#8221; the billionaire heir didn’t just criticize the Trump administration; he essentially promised a long-term &#8220;lawfare&#8221; campaign against officials who dare to enforce federal immigration law.
Pritzker’s rhetoric was nothing short of a declaration of judicial war. He accused ICE and CBP agents of &#8220;invading&#8221; Chicago and &#8220;tackling&#8221; citizens. But rather than focusing on policy, Pritzker shifted into the role of a vengeful prosecutor.
He touted an &#8220;accountability commission&#8221; tasked with gathering evidence for future trials. The target list? High-ranking officials like Kash Patel, Kristi Noem, and Tom Homan. Pritzker’s chilling promise — &#8220;We are coming after them&#8221; — sounded less like a champion of due process and more like a man orchestrating a political purge. He admitted that while he might not have the power today, he is willing to wait years for a friendly administration to weaponize the courts against these individuals.
The irony reached a fever pitch when the conversation turned to the recent assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. When asked about his own history of inflammatory language, Pritzker suddenly transformed into a paragon of &#8220;civility.&#8221; He somberly lectured that &#8220;all of us need to be very careful about how we speak&#8221; and urged both sides to &#8220;bring the rhetoric down.&#8221; He insisted there is a &#8220;big difference&#8221; between his prior calls for &#8220;peaceful protests&#8221; and the &#8220;authoritarian&#8221; actions of his opponents.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today on Meet the Press Now, JB Pritzker calls President Trump an &quot;authoritarian, and if we are not pushing back every single day, then we&#39;re doing it wrong.&quot;
A few seconds later, Pritzker threatens Trump admin officials: &quot;It may take us a couple of years, in fact, to go after… <a href="https://t.co/UxrRHq1L6R">pic.twitter.com/UxrRHq1L6R</a>
&mdash; Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/2049241692373450788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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However, Pritzker’s newfound commitment to &#8220;soft rhetoric&#8221; is belied by his own recent history. While he stands on the national stage calling for peace, his record tells a different story of provocation. In April, 2025, at the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner, Pritzker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ive-never-seen-anything-like-it-stephen-miller-blasts-jb-pritzker-for-inciting-violence?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98I%E2%80%99ve+Never+Seen+Anything+Like+It%E2%80%99%3A+Stephen+Miller+Blasts+JB+Pritzker+For+%E2%80%98Inciting+Violence%E2%80%99">dropped the mask</a> of the statesman, explicitly calling for &#8220;mobilization&#8221; and &#8220;disruption.&#8221; He told a cheering crowd, &#8220;These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace.&#8221;
This is the Pritzker Paradox: a man who threatens to hunt down government officials through the legal system and tells his followers to harass his opponents, yet has the audacity to blame others for a toxic political climate. By vowing to prosecute his enemies while simultaneously calling for &#8220;softened&#8221; language, Pritzker isn’t fighting authoritarianism — he’s providing a masterclass in it. For the Illinois Governor, &#8220;civility&#8221; is apparently a one-way street, and the law is simply a tool to be stored away until it can be used to bury his enemies.

US-POLITICS-CRIME-TROOPS-CHICAGO

‘We Are Coming After Them’: Democrat Pritzker Threatens Patel, Homan

Illinois

J.B. Pritzker

Tom Homan

A Chinese computer hacker who stole research from the United States on COVID has been arrested, FBI Director Kash Patel has announced.
Patel said in a social media post early Tuesday morning that 34-year-old Chinese national Xu Zewei had been extradited to the United States to face charges for stealing research from American scientists and participating in a hacking campaign targeting thousands of United States organizations.
“The FBI and our great partners have arrested Xu Zewei — a PRC national and state-sponsored hacker — allegedly responsible for a massive cyber intrusion campaign in 2020 and 2021 stealing COVID-19 research from American institutions,” Patel posted on X.
“During 2020 and 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Xu and his co-conspirators allegedly targeted and hacked U.S. based universities, immunologists, and virologists conducting COVID-19 research &#8211; including key treatment and vaccines — accessing email accounts and more,” Patel added.
One example of the COVID hacking occurred before the United States and most of the rest of the world conducted shutdowns. Reports from American officials have concluded that COVID likely escaped from a Chinese lab.
Xu confirmed on February 19, 2020, to a Chinese intelligence officer that he had compromised the network of a research university in Texas, according to the indictment. On February 22, 2020, he was directed “to target and access specific email accounts (mailboxes) belonging to virologists and immunologists engaged in COVID-19 research for the university,” according to the Justice Department.
Other targets of the hacking scheme included another university in Texas, a university in North Carolina, and a law firm with offices in Washington, D.C.
Xu was arrested in Milan, Italy, on April 27, according to court documents, years after a bench warrant was first issued for him on November 2, 2023. Patel thanked Italian law enforcement for helping to locate and extradite Xu.
Patel said that Xu was also a contractor for the Hafnium cyber espionage group directed by Chinese officials that has “compromised nearly 13,000” American organizations.
“This case is a historic win for our cybersecurity efforts under President Trump, bringing bad actors who target American infrastructure to justice no matter where they try to hide,” Patel said.
The Justice Department alleges that Xu was directed to conduct the hacking by China’s Ministry of State Security’s Shanghai State Security Bureau.
Dan Cogdell, a lawyer representing Xu, told The Daily Wire that his team was still preparing their case.
&#8220;My team was only recently hired to represent Xu, so of necessity I don&#8217;t have a lot of information to share at this point. Xu entered a plea of ‘Not Guilty’ to all charges and we will return to Magistrate Bennett’s Ct on Thursday for the bond hearing,&#8221; he told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Until that time, we will prepare in earnest to try and obtain a bond on our client’s behalf.&#8221;
He added that he wouldn&#8217;t elaborate more on what their defense strategy would be.
&#8220;In terms of the defense of the charges themselves, I tend not to share what our defenses are to the media-or anyone else. I’m no Nick Saban-but as far as I know, he never told the press what his game plans were for an upcoming football game. I think I will follow that lead here,&#8221; he said. 
Xu faces decades in prison after being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to cause damage to and obtain information by unauthorized access to protected computers, two counts of obtaining information by unauthorized access to protected computers, two counts of intentional damage to a protected computer, and aggravated identity theft.
The Justice Department said that Zhang Yu, another Chinese national suspected of aiding in the hacking scheme, remains at large. A detention hearing for Xu is set for April 30.

MixCollage-28-Apr-2026-07-11-AM-3970

He Hacked America At Its Weakest Moment, And Now He’s Finally Facing The Consequences

China

Chinese Communist Party

COVID

Crime

Cybercrime

hacking

Italy

U.S.

The FBI returned a 10-year-old Utah boy to his mother after he was kidnapped and taken to Cuba by his transgender-identifying father and his family feared the child would undergo transgender procedures, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. 
Authorities charged 42-year-old Inessa-Ethington, who goes by &#8220;Rose,&#8221; and 32-year-old &#8220;Blue&#8221; Inessa-Ethington with international parental kidnapping after the gender-confused boy was taken to Cuba. The boy has since been safely returned to his mother.
The child, a boy who identifies as a girl, split time with his divorced parents, who share custody in Cache County, Utah. The boy was supposed to go on a camping trip to Canada with his father — a man who identifies as a woman — and his partner, Blue, but instead ended up in Cuba, according to court documents. 
Family members told authorities they feared the boy&#8217;s father, Rose, intended to force his son to undergo transgender surgery abroad against the mother&#8217;s wishes. They feared the boy &#8220;was transported to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery prior to puberty,” according to a criminal complaint. 
The two kidnappers were <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/utah-10-year-old-reunited-biological-mother-after-transgender-parent-and-partner">deported</a> from Cuba on Monday, and the child was returned home safe to Utah. 
FBI Director Kash Patel told The Daily Wire the rescue was another example of the bureau protecting children. 
“Each and every day this FBI is stepping up to protect kids in America at levels never seen before — identifying and rescuing 6200 child victims just last year alone,” he said. “This case is no different. We are proud of our agents, Intel analysts, and partners who acted quickly and saved a young child from what could have been a horrific kidnapping. Let it be a message to any criminal actor who would try the same — this FBI will find you, no matter where you try to hide.”
Court documents say the group left Utah on March 28, 2026, telling the boy&#8217;s mother they were heading to Alberta, Canada.  The child later called and said they had arrived, but the group could not be reached afterward. 
On March 29, the group crossed into British Columbia at the Douglas Port of Entry, then flew to Mexico the same day before arriving in Havana, Cuba, on April 1, 2026, according to investigators. 
A search of the pair’s residence found a to-do list that included “learn Spanish,” along with travel plans, an intent to withdraw $10,000 in cash, and indications they planned to empty a bank account, according to the FBI. 
“Recovered notes include instruction from a mental health therapist located in Washington D.C. including instruction to send the therapist the $10,000.00 and instructions on gender affirming medical care for children,” the criminal complaint says. 
On April 13, a Utah judge granted the boy&#8217;s mother full custody of the boy and ordered him returned to her. Rose and Blue were located by Cuban authorities on April 16, according to the Justice Department. 
Lawyers for the defendants have not been identified. They appeared in court for an arraignment in Virginia and will be transferred to Utah for further proceedings.

Patel_Child_Handcuffs

FBI Spoils Trans Father’s Plan To Transition Son In Cuba

Cuba

Transgender

Utah

FBI Director Kash Patel on Monday sued The Atlantic for $250 million over what he calls a “malicious and defamatory hit piece” that accused the federal law enforcement chief of having a serious drinking problem.
Patel is acting on a promise he made over the weekend to sue <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/04/kash-patel-fbi-director-drinking-absences/686839/">The Atlantic over a Friday story</a> whose sub-headline read, “Kash Patel has alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.”
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The story portrayed an absent FBI chief concerned about his job security and allegedly struggling with substance abuse, which is said to be affecting key investigations, including the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Patel has forcefully denied all allegations of misconduct.
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&#8220;You wanna attack my character, come at me, bring it on, I&#8217;ll see you in court,&#8221; Patel said in an <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2045893562026353027?s=20">interview with Fox News</a>. &#8220;We have to fight back against the fake news.&#8221;
The piece, written by reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, cited more than two dozen anonymous sources alleging Patel engages in “excessive drinking,” as well as “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences&#8221; that &#8220;alarmed officials at the FBI  and the Department of Justice,&#8221; <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/fbi-director-kash-patel-sues-atlantic-court-records-show-2026-04-20/">according to Reuters</a>.
&#8220;Memo to the fake news &#8211; the only time I’ll ever actually be concerned about the hit piece lies you write about me will be when you stop,&#8221; Patel posted on April 18. &#8220;Keep talking, it means I’m doing exactly what I should be doing. And no amount of BS you write will ever deter this FBI from making America safe again and taking down the criminals you love.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Memo to the fake news &#8211; the only time I’ll ever actually be concerned about the hit piece lies you write about me will be when you stop. Keep talking, it means I’m doing exactly what I should be doing. And no amount of BS you write will ever deter this FBI from making America…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2045549772044439803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
Patel’s <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.291527/gov.uscourts.dcd.291527.1.0.pdf">19-page suit</a> was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., accusing The Atlantic of publishing a &#8220;sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece.&#8221;
&#8220;Defendants are of course free to criticize the leadership of the FBI, but they crossed the legal line by publishing an article replete with false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office,&#8221; the lawsuit reads. &#8220;Indeed, Fitzpatrick could not get a single person to go on the record in defense of these outrageous allegations, instead relying entirely on anonymous sources she knew to be both highly partisan with an ax to grind and also not in a position to know the facts.&#8221;
The Atlantic provided the FBI a two-hour window to respond to &#8220;nineteen detailed allegations concerning complex issues of national security, personnel files, security-detail logs, internal facilities logs, and personal conduct,&#8221; according to the lawsuit.
On Monday, The Atlantic vowed to fight the lawsuit, which seeks $250 million in punitive damages.
&#8220;We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit,&#8221; the company said in response to the lawsuit.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Statement from The Atlantic: <a href="https://t.co/ZoIldjSbzl">pic.twitter.com/ZoIldjSbzl</a>
— The Atlantic Communications (@TheAtlanticPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAtlanticPR/status/2046239419422675189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2026</a></blockquote>

Kash Patel

We Now Know How Much Kash Patel Is Suing The Atlantic For

Courts

Lawsuit

Politics

The Atlantic

House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) said Sunday that “something sinister” might be happening as officials probe a rash of disappearances and deaths of former top scientists who reportedly worked with classified information.
Comer said he would bring in leaders of the agencies where the scientists worked for questioning about the matter. His comments come after the White House said last week it would be probing the strange cases and President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-scientists-are-turning-up-dead-or-missing-now-the-white-house-is-stepping-in">said</a> he hoped the disappearances were &#8220;random.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve put a notice out to the Department of War, to the FBI, to NASA, to the Department of Energy, that we want to know everything that they know about what happened with these scientists because those four agencies were predominantly the agencies that those 11 individuals were affiliated with. And we want to try to piece this together,” Comer <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/comer-warns-something-sinister-may-behind-deaths-disappearances-11-nuclear-space-linked-scientists">told</a> Fox News on Sunday.
&#8220;We know there are many countries around the world that would love to have our knowledge and nuclear capabilities. And these are the people that were at the forefront of it, and they&#8217;re either dead or missing,” he added.
A few of the strange cases include the disappearance of NASA scientist Monica Jacinto Reza, who <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/21/us-news/rocket-scientist-with-professional-ties-to-missing-gen-william-mccasland-disappeared-under-similar-circumstances/">went missing</a> during a hike in June 2025; astrophysicist Carl Grillmair, who <a href="https://abc7.com/post/man-charged-killing-caltech-astrophysicist-carl-grillmair-llano-carjacking-own-relative-burglarizing-home/18626990/">was shot</a> on his front porch in February; Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Nuno Loureiro, who <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2025/nuno-loureiro-professor-director-plasma-science-and-fusion-center-dies-1216">was shot</a> and killed in his home in December 2025; and Air Force Maj. Gen. William McCasland, who <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/missing-general-scientist-deaths-tied-secret-us-work-prompt-white-house-probe">went missing</a> from his Albuquerque, New Mexico, home in March.
The investigation into the deaths and disappearances is being led by the FBI.
“These missing and killed scientists and former professional members of the Department of Energy vary [widely], and we&#8217;re working most importantly with our state and local partners who have the jurisdiction on each of these cases, whether they be a homicide or a missing person&#8217;s case, they have the evidence. What we&#8217;re going to do is collectively pull it all into one place,&#8221; FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News on Sunday.
Patel said that the investigation was focusing on whether there were any connections to classified information or foreign actors.
Other examples of strange circumstances involving the scientists include the disappearance of Kansas City National Security Campus government contractor Steven Garcia in Albuquerque in 2025, allegedly with a handgun, and the discovery of pharmaceutical scientist Jason Thomas at the bottom of a Massachusetts pond after he went missing three months ago.

Scientists

11 Scientists. Multiple Deaths. One Question No One Can Answer — Coincidence Or Something Darker?

House Oversight Committee

James Comer

Nuclear

scientists

FBI Director Kash Patel is preparing for a full-scale legal battle against The Atlantic after the outlet published a bombshell report he says is riddled with falsehoods, and he’s making clear he intends to take it to the mat.
“Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court — bring your checkbook,” Patel <a href="https://x.com/S_Fitzpatrick/status/2045273851764859074">told the magazine</a> ahead of publication, a warning that has now escalated into an imminent lawsuit.
The Friday article by Sarah Fitzpatrick, titled “<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/04/kash-patel-fbi-director-drinking-absences/686839/">The FBI Director is MIA,</a>” levels a barrage of allegations against Patel, painting a picture of a senior law enforcement official allegedly plagued by instability, heavy drinking, and internal dysfunction. The report claims Patel engaged in “erratic” behavior, suffered bouts of paranoia about his job security, and was frequently absent or unreachable during key moments.
Among the most explosive claims: that Patel is “known to drink to the point of obvious intoxication” in front of colleagues, that members of his security detail have struggled to wake him due to alleged inebriation, and that officials once considered using breaching equipment to access a locked space when he could not be reached. The piece also alleges that meetings had to be delayed due to his condition and suggests his behavior could pose a “national security vulnerability.”
Patel’s legal team has forcefully rejected every one of those claims.
In a <a href="https://x.com/jbinnall/status/2045287437325254768">pre-publication letter</a>, his attorney Jesse Binnall called the allegations “categorically false and defamatory,” emphasizing that most rely on anonymous sources using vague phrasing like “people familiar with the matter.” Binnall argued that such sourcing “could not possibly possess firsthand knowledge” and accused the magazine of reckless disregard for the truth, a key component in proving defamation involving a public figure.
He also pointed to what he described as glaring factual holes, including the alleged “breaching equipment” incident, which he said has “no corroborating public record whatsoever” and appears to be either fabricated or based on a single unreliable source.
Reaction on X was immediate and sharply divided, with Patel allies and critics clashing over the credibility of The Atlantic’s reporting.
FBI media adviser Erica Knight <a href="https://x.com/_EricaKnight/status/2045279436354867267">blasted</a> the article as a recycled collection of rumors that “every real DC reporter chased, couldn&#8217;t verify, and passed on,” while laying out a lengthy defense of Patel’s record. She pointed to internal metrics under his leadership — including tens of thousands of arrests, major increases in violent crime enforcement, and large-scale fentanyl seizures — while dismissing the report’s central claims outright. “The so-called ‘intoxication incidents’ The Atlantic breathlessly reports have happened exactly ZERO times,” Knight wrote, adding bluntly: “Lawsuit is being filed.”
Others with direct ties to Patel echoed that pushback. Clint Brown, who described himself as a “sherpa” during Patel’s transition into the role, <a href="https://x.com/DissidentClint/status/2045310456340840611">said</a> he spent months working closely with him, and never witnessed any of the behavior described in the report. “Your anon sourced story is BS,” Brown wrote, adding that Patel was consistently responsive, detail-oriented, and deeply engaged in his work, often reviewing briefings at all hours.
Patel himself <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2045549772044439803">leaned into the fight</a>, framing the controversy as proof he’s doing his job. “Memo to the fake news — the only time I’ll ever actually be concerned about the hit piece lies you write about me will be when you stop,” he posted, adding that criticism would not deter the FBI from “making America safe again.”
On Capitol Hill, the reaction broke along predictable lines. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) seized on the report, <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/2045524585567723876">saying</a> it confirmed Patel is “completely unfit to serve” and calling for his resignation. But Tom Cotton (R-AR), who works directly with Patel as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, <a href="https://x.com/TomCottonAR/status/2045517520849773053">dismissed</a> the story as a “dishonest smear” and pointed instead to what he described as tangible results from the bureau. Cotton followed up, <a href="https://x.com/TomCottonAR/status/2045517524926705838">adding</a>, &#8220;Here&#8217;s what&#8217;s really happening: Liberal reporters and disgruntled deep state leakers — who have zero knowledge of what the story alleges — are bitter that the FBI is no longer targeting Catholic parents and pro-lifers.&#8221;
The clash underscores what is quickly becoming more than just a media dispute: a political and legal showdown that is now playing out in real time across both the press and the courts.
Inside the administration, Patel has drawn swift and public backing. “Patel has accomplished more in 14 months than the previous administration did in four years. Anonymously sourced hit pieces do not constitute journalism,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said when reached out to by The Atlantic for comment.
FBI Assistant Director of Public Affairs Ben Williamson, who pushed back on the allegations when first contacted by the outlet, didn’t mince words in his response. He dismissed the report as a reheated collection of long-circulating rumors that had never held up under scrutiny, <a href="https://x.com/_WilliamsonBen/status/2045274603455476140">saying</a>: “This article is a compilation of pretty much every obviously fake rumor I’ve heard the last 14 months except the Atlantic is the only one dumb enough to actually print it.”
Patel himself has gone further, <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2045327321192599867">publicly accusing</a> the magazine of acting with “actual malice,” the high legal bar required in defamation cases involving public officials. He went further, saying, “See you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court.”
His team is also demanding that The Atlantic preserve all internal communications, drafts, and source materials related to the story, a clear signal that litigation is not just a threat, but imminent.
For her part, Fitzpatrick is standing by her reporting, citing interviews with more than two dozen sources and insisting the story is accurate. 
Neither side is backing down and so the high-stakes collision between a top federal law enforcement official and a major national publication seems imminent. If Patel follows through, the case could become a major test of modern media practices, particularly the reliance on anonymous sourcing in stories involving national security figures, and whether courts are willing to scrutinize those standards more aggressively.
The next round seems likely to play out in court, where both sides will be forced to back up their claims under oath, and where the consequences could be far more serious than a war of words.

Patel Unleashes On The Atlantic Over ‘Categorically False’ Report Including ‘Locked Room’ Claim

Media

Media Bias

The FBI has arrested a former Army employee accused of leaking classified information to a journalist.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Wednesday that Courtney Williams, 40, a former employee at Fort Bragg who previously held top security clearance, has been charged with transmitting classified national defense information. 
“FBI and our partners have arrested a former [Special Operations Command] employee, who supported our top-level military warfighters, for allegedly transmitting classified information to a member of the media. Outstanding work by [FBI Charlotte] and the FBI Counterintelligence &amp; Espionage Division &#8211; as well as our [Justice Department] partners,” Patel said. 
“Let this serve as a message to any would-be leakers: we’re working these cases, and we’re making arrests. This FBI will not tolerate those who seek to betray our country and put Americans in harm’s way,” he added. 
In a subsequent <a href="https://x.com/fbidirectorkash/status/2042199396738080809?s=46">post</a>, Patel suggested that more arrests over leaks were “coming.” The arrest follows statements by President Donald Trump threatening jail time for reporters who decline to identify sources in connection with a leak about a downed American aircraft. 
Williams held top security clearance from 2010 to 2016. Authorities say that from 2022 to 2025, she communicated with an investigative journalist through more than 10 hours of phone calls and 180 text messages. She allegedly shared “tactics, techniques and procedures” related to a special operations force. 
While not named in court documents, the journalist appears to be Seth Harp, the author of “The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces.” An excerpt from the book appeared in POLITICO under the headline, “My Life Became a Living Hell: One Woman’s Career in Delta Force, the Army’s Most Elite Unit,” and focused on Williams&#8217; experience in Delta Force. 
In a post on X, Harp <a href="https://x.com/sethharpesq/status/2042037022336934195?s=20">claimed</a> that Williams had done nothing criminal. 
“Trump&#8217;s unhinged DOJ will not even say what ‘classified information’ she allegedly leaked,” he said. “Her arrest and imprisonment is an outrage.”
Harp <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/former-fort-bragg-employee-charged-leaking-classified-military-information-journalist">told</a> WRAL-TV that &#8220;the government is going after Courtney for the sole reason that she exposed sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the unit,&#8221; adding, &#8220;This is a vindictive act of retaliation.&#8221;
Text messages cited in court documents suggest Williams was aware of potential legal risk following the publication of Harp’s book. In one message, she allegedly expressed concern about “the amount of classified information being disclosed,” and in a separate message wrote, “I might actually get arrested . . . for disclosing classified information.” 
Another message attributed to Williams said that she knew she was “probably going to jail for life.”
Court documents show that Williams will be appointed counsel from the Eastern District of North Carolina Federal Public Defender’s Office. An attorney has not yet been publicly identified.

FBI Director Patel And Eastern District U.S. Attorney Nocella Holds News Conference On Major Illegal Sports Gambling Schemes

Department Of War Leaker Nabbed In Journalist Tip Case As Kash Patel Signals Next Move

Army

classified documents

U.S. Military

FBI Director Kash Patel&#8217;s personal email account was hacked, with some of his correspondence and photos leaked online by a group linked to Iran that has vowed to go after &#8220;all the enemies of Islam in the West.&#8221;
The FBI confirmed to The Daily Wire that Patel&#8217;s account was hacked, but added that &#8220;no government information&#8221; was compromised. The FBI said there is a $10 million reward for information on an Iranian group called the Handala Hack Team, which &#8220;has frequently targeted U.S. government officials.&#8221;
“The FBI is aware of malicious actors targeting Director Patel’s personal email information, and we have taken all necessary steps to mitigate potential risks associated with this activity,&#8221; the bureau said. &#8220;The information in question is historical in nature and involves no government information.&#8221;
The hackers released around 300 documents and multiple photos of Patel. The email correspondence leaked by the hackers was dated between 2010 and 2019, Reuters reported. Some of the photos leaked from Patel&#8217;s personal email include images showing Patel smoking a cigar and standing next to an antique car.
The Handala group is believed to be used by the Iranian regime to carry out cyberattacks on targets throughout the world. The hackers pledge their loyalty to &#8220;the supreme leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei&#8221; and &#8220;declare war on all the enemies of Islam in the West.&#8221; Earlier this month, Handala hackers took credit for illegally gaining access to the server of Stryker, a company in Michigan that provides medical devices.
Just last week, the Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-disrupts-iranian-cyber-enabled-psychological-operations">removed</a> four websites operated by the Iranian-backed Handala group. The hackers used the websites to post sensitive stolen data. The website operators also called for &#8220;the killing of journalists, regime dissidents, and Israeli persons,&#8221; according to the Justice Department.
&#8220;Iran thought they could hide behind fake websites and keyboard threats to terrorize Americans and silence dissidents,” Patel said after the Justice Department took down Handala&#8217;s websites. “We took down four of their operation&#8217;s pillars and we&#8217;re not done. This FBI will hunt down every actor behind these cowardly death threats and cyberattacks and will bring the full force of American law enforcement down on them.”
The hack targeting Patel appears to be in response to the Justice Department&#8217;s actions, as the domain used to hack Patel&#8217;s personal email was registered on the same day the Justice Department announced its crackdown on Handala&#8217;s domains.
&#8220;Kash Patel, the current head of the FBI, who once saw his name displayed with pride on the agency&#8217;s headquarters, will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims,&#8221; the hackers wrote on their website. &#8220;The so-called &#8216;impenetrable&#8217; systems of the FBI were brought to their knees within hours by our team.&#8221;

Kash Patel’s Personal Email Hacked By Iranians

Kash Patel's Email Hacked By Iranian Group That Vows To 'Declare War On All Enemies Of Islam'

Hackers

Iran

FBI Director Kash Patel credited brave students with saving many lives by stopping a gunman who carried out a suspected terror attack at Old Dominion University on Thursday.
“Earlier today, an armed individual opened fire at Old Dominion University, leaving one person dead and two others wounded. The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick response of law enforcement,” Patel said in a social media post. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Earlier today, an armed individual opened fire at Old Dominion University, leaving one person dead and two others wounded. The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2032183663350214858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Patel said the students likely saved many lives.
“The FBI is now investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism. Our Joint Terrorism Task Force is fully engaged, embedded with local authorities, and providing all resources necessary in the investigation,” he said. “In the meantime, please pray for the victims, their families, and the ODU community.”
The gunman has been identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Virginia National Guardsman who was convicted in 2016 for conspiring to provide material support for ISIS. The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/12/us-news/hero-rotc-cadet-fatally-stabbed-crazed-old-dominion-gunman-to-prevent-more-carnage/">reported</a> that a student member of the Reserve Officers&#8217; Training Corps (ROTC) stopped the gunman with a knife. Two ROTC members were injured during the attack.
During a press conference Thursday afternoon, the FBI spoke about the students who subdued and killed Jalloh.
&#8220;There were students that were in that room that subdued him and rendered him no longer alive,&#8221; said Dominique Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI&#8217;s Norfolk office. &#8220;They basically were able to terminate the threat.&#8221;
Evans also noted that Jalloh yelled &#8220;Allahu Akbar&#8221; during his attack.
“We are deeply saddened from the active shooter incident that occurred at Old Dominion University on March 12, 2026. We can confirm that two members of the university ROTC program were shot and were taken to a local hospital to treat their injuries,” U.S. Army Cadet Command said in a statement. 
Old Dominion Police Chief Garrett Shelton said that there were three victims in the shooting. Shelton confirmed two victims were transported to the hospital for medical treatment, and the third victim went on their own.
Patel confirmed early on Thursday that the FBI was on the scene and assisting police in investigating the attack. 
As a result of the attack, Old Dominion President Brian Hemphill cancelled all classes. 
“The safety of our campus community is my top priority. We are deeply committed to safeguarding all Monarchs and ensuring a secure learning, living, and working environment at all times,” he said. “We take this responsibility very seriously and remain vigilant in our efforts to maintain a safe campus. I extend my thoughts and prayers to those impacted.

MixCollage-12-Mar-2026-03-23-PM-422

Heroic Students Rally To Stop Gunman Who Carried Out Terror Attack At Old Dominion

Heroic Students Stopped Gunman Carrying Out Terror Attack At Old Dominion

terrorist attack

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