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By Anna Commander and Peter Aitken
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FBI Director Kash Patel has warned The Atlantic that he will "see you in court" after the magazine published an article alleging Patel had displayed "erratic" behavior.
Patel, in a statement sent via the FBI in response to an Atlantic request for comment, told the outlet: "Print it, all false, I'll see you in court - bring your checkbook."
In a post to X on Friday night, Patel posted, "see you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court... But do keep at it with the fake news, actual malice standard is now what some would call a legal lay up." His post included what appears to be a screenshot of an email from Benjamin Williamson, assistant director for public affairs at the FBI, seemingly responding to The Atlantic reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, saying in part that "this is one of the most absurd things I've ever read."
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Newsweek reached out to the FBI via email for comment on Friday night.
The article, published online Friday, discussed an alleged incident when Patel had a "freak-out" over not being able to access an internal computer system. According to "more than two dozen people" interviewed by The Atlantic, Patel was "erratic, suspicious of others, and prone to jumping to conclusions before he has necessary evidence."
Why It Matters
As the accusations surfaced, The Atlantic highlighted alleged internal concerns that the FBI director’s availability and decision-making could pose national security risks amid war-related tensions and potential domestic threats, while the White House and senior Justice Department officials publicly defended Patel’s performance and impact.
Patel also faced backlash in February during the Olympics when he was seen celebrating with Team USA following the national hockey team’s gold medal win.
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What To Know
The article also alleged that Patel "on multiple occasions" was seemingly intoxicated and his security detail had difficulty waking him. The outlet notes a reported incident where his detail needed to request "breaching equipment" last year to get to him behind his locked doors.
The magazine said more than two dozen current and former officials and others described Patel’s tenure as marked by episodes of "conspicuous inebriation," including rescheduled briefings early in his tenure and alleged unexplained absences.
The Atlantic also reported that senior Trump administration figures are already discussing potential replacements for Patel. The outlet notes an earlier report that it was believed Patel was to be ousted after the removal of Attorney General Pam Bondi early this month.
The White House and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, however, publicly praised Patel’s record and dismissed anonymously sourced criticism, reflecting competing public narratives about his leadership and job security.
Blanche told the outlet in a statement, “Patel has accomplished more in 14 months than the previous administration did in four years. Anonymously sourced hit pieces do not constitute journalism.”
Lawyer Jesse R. Binnall posted to X on Friday night in reaction to the report, saying, "This is the letter we sent to The Atlantic and Sarah Fitzpatrick BEFORE they published their hit piece on FBI Director @FBIDirectorKash. They were on notice that the claims were categorically false and defamatory. They published anyway. See you in court."
Williamson also reacted to The Atlantic report, saying on X, "This article is a compilation of pretty much every obviously fake rumor I’ve heard the last 14 months except the Atlantic is the only one dumb enough to actually print it."
Update 4/17/26, 11:15 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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