Kash Patel Seeks $250 Million From Outlet That Reported On His Alleged ‘Excessive Drinking’

FBI Director Kash Patel filed a lawsuit against The Atlantic on Monday, describing the outlet’s article on his tenure at the agency as “a sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece” in court documents.

The Atlantic published an article Friday detailing alleged “alarm” among Patel’s colleagues over his drinking, and reporting that the FBI Director is concerned that his job is “in jeopardy.” Patel denies the reporting and has filed suit seeking $250 million in damages. The lawsuit names both the publication and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, accusing them of publishing “false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office.”

“Fitzpatrick could not get a single person to go on the record in defense of these outrageous allegations, instead relying entirely on anonymous sources she knew to be both highly partisan with an ax to grind and also not in a position to know the facts,” reads the lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

“Defendants published the Article with actual malice, despite being expressly warned, hours before publication, that the central allegations were categorically false; despite having abundant publicly available information contradicting those allegations; despite obvious and fatal defects in their own sourcing; despite The Atlantic’s well-documented, long-running editorial animus toward Director Patel,” it says.

The article maintains that Patel’s alleged drinking forced FBI personnel to reschedule briefings and meetings. The Atlantic also maintained that his security detail requested breaching equipment normally used by SWAT teams due to their inability to get to the FBI director when doors were locked.