The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee has requested information from several government agencies and departments regarding allegations that Kash Patel violated protocols during an attempted hostage rescue mission in 2020.

Mr Patel is especially keen on pursuing leakers and their friends in the media. “When you have an underlying illegality committed by a government agent, anyone that participates in that illegality can and should be charged,” Mr Patel has said. He has also suggested “clawback mechanisms” for the money that news outlets make “by printing lies”.

Patel is a controversial nominee, having long raged against the so-called Deep State and prioritized his loyalty to Trump.

Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell voted against confirming Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary. To Capitol insiders, their decisions weren’t surprising.

A Princeton and Harvard-educated former combat veteran, Hegseth went on to make a career at Fox News, where he hosted a weekend show. Trump tapped him as the defense secretary to lead an organization with nearly 2.1 million service members, about 780,000 civilians and a budget of $850 billion.

WASHINGTON: Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's nominee for FBI director, vowed on Thursday (Jan 30) to protect FBI employees against "political retribution" even as the Trump administration ha

US President-elect Donald Trump has filled key posts in his upcoming administration, leaning on allies and strong loyalists from his 2024 campaign as he shapes a team that reflects his commitment to an ‘America First agenda.

The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as the nation’s defense secretary late Friday in a dramatic tie-breaking vote, swatting back questions about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid allegations of heavy drinking and aggressive behavior toward women.

Despite the controversy surrounding his past behavior, former veteran and FOX News host Pete Hegseth has been confirmed as the new defense secretary in President Donald Trump’s cabinet.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon) From left, Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency nominee; Kash Patel, FBI director nominee; Pete Hegseth, secretary of defense nominee ...