FACT CHECK: Has Kash Patel Been Appointed to Head the CIA?

Alex Popa | Contributor

A viral social media claim suggests that attorney and former National Security Council staffer Kash Patel was appointed to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

 Verdict: Misleading

Attorney John Ratcliffe was nominated to lead the CIA. Patel has not yet been nominated to lead any agency of government.

Fact Check:

Patel, a knwon Trump ally, has been named as a potential candidate to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to ABC News. Critics are concerned that, if appointed, Patel could fundamentally change aspects of the agency and how official business is conducted, the outlet reported.

The X post claims Patel was appointed to be the new CIA director. The post does not cite any official outlet for the news. (RELATED: Did Trump Announce Tucker Carlson As New Press Secretary?)

The claim that Patel has been appointed as CIA Director is misleading.  The attorney was reportedly being considered as a potential candidate for the CIA’s top position by President-elect Donald Trump. However, Ratcliffe was ultimately named as the appointed CIA director candidate, according to CNN. The former representative also served as Trump’s National Intelligence director between 2020 and 2021, the outlet reported.

The New York Post only mentions this as a possibility, noting that Patel has not yet been appointed. Any suggestion that he is currently in charge of the CIA or that his appointment is forthcoming misinterprets the Post’s reporting. Other news sources, such as ABC News and Reuters, have also reported on potential administration picks but emphasized the speculative nature of these discussions. No official announcement of Patel’s appointment has been made by the government or verified sources.

This is not the first time Check Your Fact has debunkedmisleading information about the aftermath of presidential elections.

Alex Popa

Contributor

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