1. United States
2. W.V.
3. Letter

Donald Trump's pick for FBI director, Kash Patel, has outlined plans to radically reshape the agency that raise significant concerns. Patel has mused about shutting down the FBI's headquarters and dispersing employees across the country, calling for "major, major" reforms to surveillance authorities under FISA, and advocating for breaking off the FBI's intelligence operations from its crime-fighting work. He has also spoken of pursuing perceived "conspirators" in the media and government who he falsely claims helped "rig" the 2020 election for President Biden. Patel's proposal to overhaul the FBI appears driven more by personal loyalty to Trump and a desire to target his perceived enemies than any reasonable reform agenda. His ideas would likely cripple the bureau's intelligence capabilities and undermine its independence as an apolitical law enforcement agency. Dismantling core FBI functions and using the agency to pursue Trump's grievances over the 2020 election would severely damage its credibility and effectiveness. I urge you to reject Patel's nomination based on his overtly partisan positions that are incompatible with leading the FBI in an objective and non-political manner vital to upholding the rule of law.