FBI Director Kash Patel was reportedly dining out at one of New York City’s most exclusive restaurants on Wednesday night as the hunt for Charlie Kirk’s assassin unfolded.
NBC News reports that Patel was dining at Rao’s Italian restaurant in East Harlem when he posted a series of bungled tweets that provoked widespread criticism of his handling of the investigation into Kirk’s murder.
Posting on X at 6:21 p.m., Patel claimed a suspect was in custody, only to correct his statement hours later with a new tweet clarifying that the individual had been released after questioning.
Rao’s opens at 7 p.m., meaning the FBI director was likely being waited on at the celebrated eatery, which is one of the toughest tables to book in all of New York, while posting his updates.
Patel’s tweet created confusion and was quickly contradicted by local officials, who stated that two individuals had been questioned and then released following the fatal shooting at Utah Valley University.
“What he did yesterday has never been done by any FBI director before him, or any division leadership before,” retired FBI agent Dan Brunner told Reuters of Patel’s social media posting.
“The investigators need to sort through all the initial intelligence before putting out factual evidence,” he added. “FBI does not run investigations on social media.”
An anonymous White House source agreed with Brunner, and told Reuters that Patel’s announcement was unprofessional and unacceptable.
Officially, however, the White House offered a different take. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the criticism of Patel was “despicable” and that “everyone is supporting him and trying to be as helpful as possible during this effort, including the president of the United States.”
The actual suspect in the Kirk killing, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was taken into custody late Thursday night after being turned in by a family member.
The controversial handling of the ongoing investigation into the death of the outspoken right-wing activist is the latest in a series of unpopular moves by Trump’s FBI director.
Patel is currently facing legal action from three former senior FBI officials for illegal dismissal on political grounds. He has also faced backlash from Trump’s MAGA base for what they perceive as his decision not to release more documents in the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking case.
Speaking to The Washington Post, current and former FBI staffers said the Kirk investigation has highlighted Patel’s inexperience and lack of knowledge about how the bureau operates. They claim that morale within the bureau is low, and that Patel is “crumbling under pressure.”
Rao’s was founded by Charles Rao in 1896 and is as famous for its 10, tightly controlled tables as it is for its lemon chicken and pasta dishes. Getting into the restaurant typically requires knowing someone, as the few seats it does have are permanently reserved for its most loyal clientele.
Frank Sinatra was a regular diner, as are Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Donald Trump. Historically, the restaurant was a favorite spot for notorious mafiosi, including John Gotti and Lucky Luciano. Actor Frank Pellegrino was a co-owner of the restaurant from 1994 until his death in 2017; he is best known for playing FBI Chief Frank Cubitoso in The Sopranos.
The FBI did not immediately respond to the Daily Beast’s request for comment.
