Overview

• William Webster, the only person to lead both the FBI and CIA, wrote a letter to senators urging them to reject Donald Trump’s nominees Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard for top intelligence roles.
• Webster criticized Patel’s close alignment with Trump, warning that his loyalty to the president over the rule of law could undermine the FBI’s impartiality and set a dangerous precedent.
• Patel, a staunch Trump ally, has publicly vowed to target Trump’s critics and has been outspoken against the FBI, raising concerns about his ability to lead the agency objectively.
• Webster also questioned Gabbard’s qualifications to oversee 18 intelligence agencies, citing her lack of intelligence experience and controversial foreign policy stances, including past comments on Russia and Syria.
• Trump’s transition team defended the nominees, highlighting Patel’s national security experience and Gabbard’s military service, while Webster emphasized the need for nonpartisan leadership in safeguarding national security.