Trump Team Responds To Criticism Of Patel, Gabbard From Former Reagan Official
William Webster, a Republican and the only person in U.S. history to have led both the FBI and CIA, has written a letter opposing the confirmation of Kash Patel as FBI director and Tulsi Gabbard as director of National Intelligence.
Webster’s letter has been interpreted by some as evidence of the “swamp” resisting new leadership in these pivotal agencies, The Washington Examiner reported.
“While Mr. Patel’s intelligence and patriotism are commendable, his close political alignment with President Trump raises serious concerns about impartiality and integrity,” Webster, 100, who served under Presidents Carter and Reagan, wrote.
“Statements such as ‘He’s my intel guy’ and his record of executing the president’s directives suggest a loyalty to individuals rather than the rule of law — a dangerous precedent for an agency tasked with impartial enforcement of justice,” he added.
Webster’s objections to Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, centered on her perceived lack of experience.
“Effective management of our intelligence community requires unparalleled expertise to navigate the complexities of global threats and to maintain the trust of allied nations,” Webster warned. “Without that trust, our ability to safeguard sensitive secrets and collaborate internationally is severely diminished. … This is no time in world history for a novice in the field to learn this role.”
The Trump transition team responded with a rebuttal.
“Lt. Col. Gabbard is an active member of the Army and has served in the military for over two decades and in Congress. As someone who has consumed intelligence at the highest levels, including during wartime, she recognizes the importance of partnerships with allies to ensure close coordination to keep the American people safe,” said transition spokeswoman Alexa Henning.
Another spokesperson, Alex Pfeiffer, defended Patel’s credentials, noting his bipartisan experience.
“Kash Patel is loyal to the Constitution. He’s worked under Presidents Obama and Trump in key national security roles,” Pfeiffer said.
Devin Nunes, a former California congressman and chair of the House Intelligence Committee, praised Patel’s nomination in an interview with Fox News host Mark Levin.
Nunes, now the CEO of Truth Social, Trump’s social media company, emphasized Patel’s understanding of the inner workings of the FBI and Department of Justice, which he argued have become politicized.
“Kash Patel is a reformer who will do things at the FBI that the entrenched ruling class does not want him to do,” Levin said before inviting Nunes to elaborate.
“Yes, and I think most importantly with that, he knows how they do it. He knows how the DOJ and how the FBI corrupted the whole damn place. That’s the advantage he has, and that’s why they don’t want him in there,” Nunes said.
Nunes also highlighted Patel’s unique career path as an asset.
“And I will just go furthermore, I think this brings an important component that I don’t think we’ve had in an FBI director before,” Nunes explained. “Kash served at the beginning of his career on the other side. He served as a public defender, defending criminals against the FBI, against, you know, the law enforcement agencies.
“So he transferred from a public defender, then into the DOJ as a prosecutor. And at a time [when] we need people that understand both sides of the issues if we’re going to restore the FBI and the Department of Justice, where we truly get a situation in this country, again, where justice should be blind, that’s how it was set up by the founders of this country,” Nunes added.