Kash Patel Sworn in as 9th FBI Director, Takes Oath on Bhagavad Gita
Indian-American Kash Patel became the FBI director officially, swearing to uphold the Constitution.
Washington, D.C. – Indian-American Kash Patel was sworn in on Friday as the ninth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and he took his oath on the holy Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where Patel was sworn in by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi after his confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Patel replaces Christopher Wray in the high-profile position.
A Historic Oath
Patel, flanked by his family and girlfriend, joined the ranks of India’s top Indian-American officials to administer the oath on the Gita, after Congressman Suhash Subrahmanyam.
Referring to his appointment as “the greatest honor” of his life, Patel reaffirmed his dedication to justice and accountability. “Anyone who believes the American dream is dead, look right here. You are speaking to a first-generation Indian who is soon going to head the law enforcement agency of the greatest country on earth. That cannot be done anywhere else,” he said.
Restoring Integrity and Justice
After Patel’s oath-taking, the White House uploaded on its X handle: “It’s time we restore integrity and justice at the FBI. MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!”
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US President Donald Trump commended Patel’s leadership skills, adding, “I think he’ll go down as the best ever at that position. The agents love this guy.” Trump added more weight to Patel’s impressive bipartisan backing with the mention of strong support from key figures such as Trey Gowdy.
Political Reactions
In spite of robust Republican support, Patel’s appointment has been greeted with suspicion by Democrats, who worry that he will use his power to act as a Trump loyalist and go after political opponents. There were concerns raised over previous comments in which Patel had purportedly promised to go after anti-Trump “conspirators” in the government and media.
During his confirmation hearing, Patel answered these questions, reaffirming his commitment to the Constitution and denying any plans for retribution. He also rejected negative reports against him as “fake, malicious, slanderous, and defamatory.”
Vision for the FBI
Patel has signaled the intention to make major structural reforms in the FBI. He has called for shrinking the agency’s footprint in Washington, refocusing on core crime-fighting activities, and cutting back on intelligence-gathering programs. Prioritizing national security, Patel said, “Anyone that wants to do harm to our way of life and our citizens, here and overseas, will experience the full fury of the DOJ and FBI.”
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A former Justice Department counterterrorism prosecutor, Patel was nominated to succeed Christopher Wray in November. His appointment represents a turning point in the direction of the FBI as he begins his ten-year term, an appointment historically designed to insulate the director from political pressure.
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