Kash Patel Has His Own Personalized Bourbon: Report

The ninth man to lead the FBI is putting a very personal stamp on the job—right down to engraved bourbon bottles that read "Kash Patel FBI Director." In the Atlantic, investigative reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick details how Patel has been handing out personalized Woodford Reserve bottles, complete with an FBI-style shield, an eagle, and his trademark "Ka$h," to bureau employees and civilians alike. Current and former FBI and Justice Department officials tell Fitzpatrick the bottles are sometimes ferried on DOJ planes and have turned up at official events, including Quantico training and a trip to the Milan Olympics.

The FBI doesn't deny the bottles exist and says they're part of a long-standing gift tradition, paid for by Patel and in line with ethics rules—claims it did not substantively document, per Fitzpatrick. Multiple agents, speaking largely anonymously, describe the liquor swag as unsettling, "demoralizing," and emblematic of looser alcohol norms and a "merch forward" director (Patel does hawk his own branded merch here via the Kash Foundation) more focused on self-branding than quiet professionalism. "Handing out bottles of liquor at the premier law-enforcement agency—it makes me frightened for the country," says former FBI analyst George Hill. "Standards apply to everything and everyone—especially the boss." Read Fitzpatrick's full piece in the Atlantic for the detailed reporting, documents, and voices behind these concerns. (Patel is already not happy with Fitzpatrick and the Atlantic.)