Patel Pushes Back in Senate Hearing, Denies Drinking Allegations and Moves to Defamation Court

In a fiery Senate appropriations hearing, FBI director Kash Patel denied allegations of excessive drinking and unexplained absences as “baseless,” calling the reports a “total farce” and announcing a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic. Democrats argued the claims signal a dereliction of duty, while Patel challenged the questioning and even offered to take a sobriety test alongside Sen. Chris Van Hollen. The dispute also touched on a disputed bar-tab spending claim and prior coverage, including a ProPublica video of him with the USA hockey team, all underscoring ongoing contention around his conduct and leadership.