FBI Director Kash Patel delivered a forceful response to criticism from former bureau chief James Comey, while also issuing a pointed warning of his own. Comey had questioned whether Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, were qualified to lead the FBI, suggesting they lacked the experience and capability for the role.
Appearing on Fox News’ Special Report with anchor Bret Baier, Patel was asked to weigh in on a recent Instagram post by Comey featuring seashells arranged to spell out “8647”—a message many have interpreted as a veiled threat against President Donald Trump.
Another theory suggests that the seashell arrangement is a coded message advocating for Trump’s removal from power. Comey has denied creating the display himself, stating that he merely took a photograph of it on the advice of his wife. He later emphasized that he does not and would never condone violence.
“You know, the FBI is bigger than any leader it’s ever had or ever will have,” Patel said, weighing in on the post. “And James Comey is a private citizen, and he can walk around the beach and talk about seashells and Crayola crayons for all I care about and talk about how we’re the conspiracy theorists.”
“But I’ll just remind the American people of one thing,” the FBI director added. “When that man was the leader of the FBI, he perpetrated the largest criminal conspiracy, packaged political information from overseas, took it to a federal FISA court, and illegally surveilled a political opponent.”
He then said, “So, I won’t be lectured on how to run this FBI from that man.”
In a CNN interview on Wednesday, Comey expressed little confidence in the FBI’s current leadership but said he still trusted the career professionals within the bureau.
“I hope the career people are able to support the director and the deputy director,” he commented, making a reference to both Patel and his deputy director. “There are lots of people in the FBI who know what they’re doing. I hope these two guys are letting them guide them.”
“Nothing in their life or their career gives me confidence that they know anything about leading an organization like that,” Comey added. “And so, I would have serious doubts.”
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? WATCH: Kash Patel calls out Comey, telling Fox’s @BretBaier: “I won’t be lectured on how to run the FBI by that man.” pic.twitter.com/UMCUlDmFlg
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Patel replied to Comey’s comments by saying, “If [Comey] wants to go after me? No problem. I’ve been living rent-free in that guy’s head for YEARS, and that’s just a bonus.”
The FBI director also blamed Comey for causing Patel to redirect bureau resources to investigate “copycat” incidents regarding the “86 47” Instagram post.
“Do you know how many copycats we’ve had to investigate as a result of that beachside venture from the former director? Do you know how many agents I’ve had to take offline from chasing down child sex predators, fentanyl traffickers, terrorists, because everywhere across this country, people are popping up on social media?” Patel told Baier.
“[They] think that a threat to the life of the president of the United States is a joke, and they can do it because he did it. That’s what I’m having to deal with every single day. And that’s what I’m having to pull my agents and analysts off because he thought it was funny to go out there and make a political statement,” he added.