'MIA' Kash Patel is paranoid about being fired and drinking to excess, bombshell report claims

Published: 13:10, 18 April 2026 | Updated: 13:29, 18 April 2026 FBI Director Kash Patel has grown 'deeply paranoid' over being fired and has been drinking heavily, raising concerns among officials in Washington. The Atlantic magazine published a report Friday revealing a series of troubling incidents and allegations involving Patel, who has since threatened legal action, calling the claims 'false reporting.' It details claims that Patel's alleged excessive drinking meant that members of his security team were unable to rouse him in time for meetings on several occasions. At one point, staffers allegedly requested 'breaching equipment' used in SWAT raids to try and break down his door, according to the Atlantic. Patel is known to enjoy alcohol and has frequently appeared visibly intoxicated at clubs in Washington and in his home city of Las Vegas.  He reportedly also earned the president's ire after he was filmed chugging beer with the US men's hockey team following their Olympic victory.  But colleagues reportedly say his conduct has become erratic amid an increased paranoia he is set to be replaced. Just last week, Patel allegedly spiraled into a nervous breakdown after mistakenly believing he had been fired due to a technical issue that left him locked out of a system. The Atlantic magazine published a report Friday alleging that officials are alarmed over FBI Director Kash Patel's alleged excessive drinking  The report claims that Patel has grown 'deeply paranoid' over being fired by the Trump administration Fearing he was about to be fired by the Trump administration, he allegedly called aides and allies in panic - a reaction that, according to the Atlantic's report, quickly reached the White House.  Officials told the outlet they are increasingly alarmed about whether the FBI could respond to a national crisis like a terror attack with Patel at the helm.  'That's what keeps me up at night,' an unnamed official told the publication. Patel has staunchly denied the Atlantic's claims and threatened to sue the outlet and its reporter, Sarah Fitzpatrick. In a post on X, Patel shared a screenshot of an email from FBI communications official Benjamin Williamson to Fitzpatrick, which described the article as 'completely false and nearly 100 percent clip.' The email read: 'Top to bottom, this is one of the most absurd things I've ever read. Completely false and nearly 100% clip. And with a two hour deadline.' 'See you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court,' Patel captioned his Friday post.  'But do keep at it with the fake news, actual malice standard is now what some would call a legal lay up,' he added.   The Atlantic's report alleges that, early in his tenure leading the bureau, meetings were sometimes rescheduled later in the day to accommodate what it describes as Patel’s alleged 'nighttime drinking' habits. Both FBI officials and members of the Trump administration have raised concerns about whether alcohol may have played a role in alleged missteps by Patel, pointing to the aftermath of the shooting of Charlie Kirk.  Hours after the killing of the conservative activist in September 2025, Patel took to X to announce that the 'subject' in Kirk's murder was finally 'in custody.'  But shortly after, he walked back his earlier statement, announcing that the suspect 'has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement.' A different suspect, Tyler Robinson, was later arrested. Two sources with knowledge of his movements revealed that he was actually in New York City that evening, dining at Rao’s - the high-end Italian hotspot that opens at 7pm promptly, as reported by NBC News.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.