 "US Senate confirms Trump loyalist Kash Patel as new FBI director in a tight vote. File Image / AP")
The US Senate on Thursday has approved Indian-origin Kash Patel as the new Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Patel is Donald Trump’s pick to lead the country’s top law enforcement agency. He is also said to be a staunch ally of Trump.
In a tight contest, Patel was confirmed by the Senate in a 51-49 vote.
Two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, were against Kash’s appointment, as the vote was split along party lines.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Patel promised that the FBI would remain free from politics and that there would be no acts of revenge. He accused Democrats of taking his past comments out of context. He said, “Snippets of information are often misleading,” CNN reported.
Who is Kash Patel?
Kashyap Pramod Vinod Patel, commonly known as Kash Patel, is an American lawyer. He was born in New York’s Garden city to parents who migrated from India .
Patel has also previously served within the US government during Trump’s first term in the White House. He served as a senior aide on the House Intelligence Committee, where he was instrumental in challenging investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election. During Trump’s first term, he held positions on the National Security Council and as Chief of Staff to the Acting Secretary of Defense.
Trump’s strong hold on Republican Party
The Senate has approved all of Trump’s picks so far. This shows his strong influence over the Republican Party.
Among the approved choices is Tulsi Gabbard, who was confirmed as the nation’s spy chief despite her past support for countries like Russia and Syria.
Vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr is now the Health Secretary after Senate approval.