Patel files $250M defamation suit against The Atlantic over FBI drinking claims
Kash Patel has filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit in federal court against The Atlantic and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick over a story alleging ‘excessive drinking’ and conspicuous absences during his FBI tenure. Patel’s team says the piece is false and published with malice; The Atlantic and Fitzpatrick defend the reporting, noting multiple sourced accounts. The suit follows a pre-publication threat and highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump-era administration and the press.