Kash Patel Is Unhappy With Trump Over This Decision Concerning FBI

FBI Director Kash Patel is unhappy with the Trump administration over a budget proposal that would dramatically slash funding for the bureau. Patel, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, criticised his team on Wednesday, telling lawmakers, "We need more than what has been proposed." He also warned that such cuts would harm the Federal Bureau of Investigation as it focuses on violent crimes. 

The Trump administration released its 2026 budget proposal last Friday, which called for a slashing of over $500 million from the FBI's funding. The budget cuts are part of the White House's desire to "reform and streamline" the bureau and reduce "non-law enforcement missions that do not align" with the priorities of President Donald Trump, according to a report by The Washington Post. 

Answering the House Appropriations Committee on how the FBI would adapt to the budget changes, Indian origin Patel said, "At this time, we have not looked at who to cut. We are focusing our energies on how not to have them cut by coming in here and highlighting to you that we can't do the mission on those 2011 budget levels."

When pressed by Representative Rosa DeLauro,  a Connecticut Democrat, on the matter, Patel said, "That's the proposed budget-- not by the FBI...The proposed budget that I put forward is to cover us for $11.1 billion, which would not have us cut any positions," the Post reported. 

President Trump is seeking to slash $545 million from the FBI's funding as part of his administration's plan to trim $163 billion from non-defence discretionary spending.

Defending his bureau's plan to relocate about 1,000 FBI employees from the Washington area to cities around America, Patel said, "Part of the process is not just putting people out sporadically, throwing darts on the map. What we've done is we've taken a process with the (career employees) at the FBI and said, 'Where are some of the most violent crime places in America?'" 

The FBI relocation plan was one of the first initiatives Patel unveiled after being sworn in as FBI director in February.