FBI Director Kash Patel has publicly responded to allegations about his conduct and strongly denied claims that he drank excessively while on the job.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday alongside Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch, Patel flatly rejected the allegations.
“I’ve never been drunk on the job,” he said, highlighting a series of law enforcement successes during his tenure.
Patel defended his work at the bureau, saying, “This FBI director has been on the job twice as long as all the directors before me.”
The comments follow a report published last week by The Atlantic which alleged that Patel had “alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.”
Blanch rejected the report and told reporters that it contained “patently false” information.
He also criticized the reliance on unnamed sources and said the story was “based on unnamed sources.”
Patel echoed those concerns, saying: “My concerns are entirely about the anonymous reporting that continues to emerge,” adding that he “doesn’t listen to the fake news mafia.”
The Atlantic has defended its reporting.
A spokesperson said: “We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this frivolous lawsuit.”
Reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick also said she “stands by every word of this reporting. We have excellent lawyers.”
Patel has filed a $250 million defamation suit against the magazine.
