FBI Director Kash Patel took it outside—and onto social media—after being grilled about his drinking during an angry Senate hearing.
Patel, whose job is said to be on the rocks, appeared punch-drunk after Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, hit him with reports of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.
Patel, 46, vehemently denied the claims and agreed to take an “audit” alongside Van Hollen to prove his innocence. During the tense exchange at an annual Senate committee budget hearing on Tuesday, Keystone Kash also accused Van Hollen of drinking margaritas with deported Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, as well as running up a $7,000 bar tab in Washington, D.C.
He took the latter attack online after the hearing, tagging the Maryland senator in a post on X and writing: “Fact check.”
He shared a picture of the Lobby Bar in the capital and a disbursement form showing a $7,128 tab. Van Hollen responded to Patel’s gotcha attempt, writing: “You got me, I catered a holiday reception for my staff with campaign — not taxpayer — dollars! Now let’s see your receipts. #ReleaseTheTab.”
He later referenced Patel’s assertion that he had been “slinging margaritas in El Salvador on the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gangbanging rapist.” Patel appeared to be referring to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, even though Abrego has not been charged with or convicted of either rape or being a gang member.
Trump administration officials, however, have accused him of being a member of the MS-13 gang. He has denied this allegation. Abrego is awaiting trial on human trafficking charges.
“Glasses were placed in front of us but we did not drink them. I know that may be a confusing concept for Director Patel,” Van Hollen jibed in response to a post from the official White House Rapid Response account.
A Van Hollen spokesperson said Tuesday 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.”
In a follow-up statement to NBC News, Van Hollen said Patel is “a disgrace to the office he holds.”
The basis for Van Hollen’s grilling was an Atlantic article that cited more than two dozen anonymous sources describing a drinking problem so severe it could “threaten national security,” as well as erratic, paranoid behavior.
He has responded with a $250 million defamation lawsuit that The Atlantic has vowed to fight.
“While some in the media continue these pathetic attempts at smears, Director Patel and the FBI will be solely focused on continuing the most prolific year of crime reduction in United States history,” Assistant Director for Public Affairs at the FBI Ben Williamson told the Daily Beast.
