FBI Director Kash Patel is vowing to take The Atlantic to court over a bombshell report published Friday evening that he says is filled with defamatory claims.
Patel told The Atlantic in a statement, "Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court, bring your checkbook."
According to Fox News, the story, titled, "The FBI Director is MIA," outlined several explosive allegations, including instances of "erratic" behavior, "excessive drinking" and "unexplained absences."
The first claim alleged Patel had a "freak-out" over a tech issue earlier this month when attempting to log into a computer system, believing he was being fired by President Donald Trump following Attorney General Pam Bondi's ouster and had to prep an announcement.
The Atlantic cited nine unnamed sources familiar with the incident.
The outlets' staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick told readers, "But Patel, according to multiple current officials, as well as former officials who have stayed close to him, is deeply concerned that his job is in jeopardy. He has good reasons to think so — including some having to do with what witnesses described to me as bouts of excessive drinking."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Atlantic in a statement that Patel "remains a critical player on the Administration’s law and order team."
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also threw his support behind the FBI Director, telling Fitzpatrick, "Patel has accomplished more in 14 months than the previous administration did in four years. Anonymously sourced hit pieces do not constitute journalism."
