Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe Warns of Trump’s Plan to ‘Dismantle’ FBI with Kash Patel Nomination

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe has expressed strong concerns over President-elect Donald Trump‘s recent announcement to appoint Kash Patel as the director of the FBI. On Saturday, Trump revealed the nomination on Truth Social, sparking immediate reaction from McCabe and other critics.

McCabe, during a CNN panel on Saturday evening, described Patel as “profoundly unqualified” for the role. He emphasized that the nomination signals a broader intent by Trump to disrupt, dismantle, and potentially use the FBI as a tool for his political agenda. McCabe warned that this move could lead the FBI back to a era similar to the pre-Watergate FBI under J. Edgar Hoover, where the agency was used to collect political intelligence and intimidate Americans at the direction of the president.

Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist, has a history of controversial statements and actions. He previously served as a U.S. National Security Council official and chief of staff to the acting secretary of defense during Trump’s first term. Patel has vowed to fire FBI leadership and shut down the agency’s DC office, and has expressed interest in targeting and prosecuting journalists for alleged roles in helping President Joe Biden “rig presidential elections”.

McCabe’s comments highlight the deep concerns within the law enforcement community and beyond about the potential politicization of the FBI under Patel’s leadership. The nomination has sparked a heated debate about the future of the agency and its independence.