Trump's USA The President's Team

FBI Director Sues Newspaper – Wrote About His Drinking

FBI Director Kash Patel is suing The Atlantic for defamation after the newspaper's article about his personality and drinking habits, Reuters reports.

– The Atlantic's report is a lie. They were told the truth before it was published, and they chose to write lies anyway, Patel says.

According to the lawsuit, the newspaper has the right to criticize FBI leadership, but not to publish an article "full of false and patently fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel's reputation and get him removed."

The Atlantic's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg writes that the newspaper stands behind its publication.

In the report, dozens of sources with insight paint Patel as unstable, paranoid and a threat to national security. They highlight his alcohol consumption in particular and say that he regularly drinks to a noticeable degree, which affects his work performance.

FBI Director to Sue The Atlantic for Defamation Today

FBI Director Kash Patel will sue The Atlantic magazine for defamation over an article about his alleged drinking habits, The Hill reports. The article, published Friday, describes Patel as "erratic" and sometimes drunk on the job. It is based on statements from more than two dozen current and former officials.

According to Patel, the lawsuit will be filed today, Monday. His lawyer states on X that The Atlantic was warned before publication.

The White House and the Justice Department dismiss the information in the article and describe it as a politically motivated attack on the FBI. FBI Communications Director Benjamin Williamson describes it as "a collection of patently false rumors."

Reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick says she stands by her reporting.