Patel is a controversial nominee, having long raged against the so-called Deep State and prioritized his loyalty to Trump.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the chair of the Judiciary Committee, dismissed Durbin’s new charges as “hearsay.” He expressed no interest in gathering more information and rejected Democrats’ call for a second confirmation hearing where they could ask Patel directly about the firings of FBI officials.

Kash Patel's 2022 book, Government Gangsters, contained an appendix listing 60 individuals - many of whom were involved in investigations against Trump.