FBI’s Patel Brushes Off Criticism Of His Leadership From Comey
Charlie Kirk Staff
05/31/2025

FBI Director Kash Patel delivered a strong rebuttal to criticism from former bureau chief James Comey and issued a warning of his own. Comey had questioned the qualifications of Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, suggesting they lacked the necessary experience to lead the FBI.
During an appearance on Fox News’ Special Report with anchor Bret Baier, Patel was asked about a recent Instagram post by Comey showing seashells arranged to spell “8647”—a message many have interpreted as a veiled threat toward President Donald Trump.
An alternate theory suggests the arrangement was a coded call for Trump’s removal from office. Comey has denied arranging the display himself, claiming he only photographed it at the suggestion of his wife. He later stressed that he does not, and would never, condone violence.
You know, the FBI is bigger than any leader it’s ever had or ever will have,” Patel said, weighing in on the post. “And James Comey is a private citizen, and he can walk around the beach and talk about seashells and Crayola crayons for all I care about and talk about how we’re the conspiracy theorists.”
“But I’ll just remind the American people of one thing,” the FBI director added. “When that man was the leader of the FBI, he perpetrated the largest criminal conspiracy, packaged political information from overseas, took it to a federal FISA court, and illegally surveilled a political opponent.”
He then said, “So, I won’t be lectured on how to run this FBI from that man.”
WATCH:
In a CNN interview on Wednesday, Comey expressed little confidence in the FBI’s current leadership but said he still trusted the career professionals within the bureau.
“I hope the career people are able to support the director and the deputy director,” he commented, making a reference to both Patel and his deputy director. “There are lots of people in the FBI who know what they’re doing. I hope these two guys are letting them guide them.”
“Nothing in their life or their career gives me confidence that they know anything about leading an organization like that,” Comey added. “And so, I would have serious doubts.”
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