Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, refrained from commenting on President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to appoint loyalist Kash Patel as FBI director. Sullivan emphasized the importance of maintaining the FBI director position free from political influence.
Sullivan highlighted the Biden administration's commitment to the bipartisan tradition of keeping the FBI director role insulated from political pressures. He commended Christopher Wray, the current FBI director, for his effective performance in the position.
Sullivan noted that Wray was appointed by President-elect Trump to a 10-year term, emphasizing the significance of the FBI director serving beyond a single presidential term to ensure independence from political agendas.
Regarding Trump's selection of Patel, Sullivan deferred to Trump to explain his rationale behind the decision.
Trump's decision to consider Patel for the FBI director role aligns with his pattern of appointing loyalists to key law enforcement and intelligence positions. This strategy aims to potentially influence specific investigations and shield the president from potential future inquiries.
Patel has been vocal in his criticism of the FBI, advocating for the dismantling of the agency's headquarters in Washington, DC, and referring to it as a 'museum of the deep state' during a podcast interview in September.
