FBI chief Patel says bureau needs more funding, breaks from Trump admin

Kash Patel's remarks came after the 2026 budget proposal indicated a cut of over $500 mn from the FBI's funding as a part of the White House's effort to 'reform and streamline' the department

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel distanced himself from US President Donald Trump’s administration over a budget proposal that would cut the funding for his bureau, Associated Press reported.

 

On Thursday (IST), Patel told the lawmakers that the FBI needs “more than what has been proposed”. His remarks came after the 2026 budget proposal, presented May 2, indicated a cut of over $500 million from the FBI’s funding as a part of the White House’s effort to “reform and streamline” the department, while reducing the “non-law enforcement missions that do not align” with Trump’s priorities.

 

However, Patel noted that such a cut would be harmful for the bureau as its focus would be shifted towards addressing violent crimes. When asked at a House Appropriations subcommittee what positions would need to be cut, if the funding cut was implemented, 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.”

 

 

 

Seeking specifics from Patel, Connecticut Democrat, Rep. Rosa DeLauro stated, “This is your budget. You have to have some idea of what you want to fund or not fund, or where you can cut or not cut, and provide that information.”

 

Patel responded to her and added that it is not the proposed budget that the FBI put forward. The budget that the bureau put forward was to cover it for $11.1 billion, which would not have required us to cut any positions.

 

He also defended his plan of relocating as many as 1,000 FBI employees from the Washington area to different cities around the country, which was one of his first initiatives after taking office in February.

 

 

Patel also engaged in a heated exchange with Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, who served as the House impeachment manager during the second impeachment case filed against Trump during his first term.

 

While she asserted that the bureau had become “weaponised” under Patel, he hit back by saying that he was “targeted by a weaponised FBI”, hinting that he was among the few officials whose records were seized secretly by the justice department as part of media leak investigations.