Kash Patel was caught up in a heated confrontation at a press conference on April 21 after a journalist questioned the FBI director over claims of ‘alarming’ conduct tied to alleged “bouts of excessive drinking”.
The 46-year-old appeared alongside acting Attorney General Todd Blanche at the briefing, which was billed as an update on the Southern Poverty Law Center facing a federal indictment over fraud allegations.
Prosecutors allege the civil rights organization made payments connected to efforts to infiltrate extremist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).
However, the event quickly shifted focus when NBC News reporter Ryan Reilly asked Patel about a recent Atlantic report claiming dozens of people have seen the director engage in “bouts of excessive drinking,” leading to “unexplained absences” and raising concerns within the Department of Justice.
The piece, titled Kash Patel’s Erratic Behavior Could Cost Him His Job, also alleges Patel has a drinking problem that could present national security risks.
In response to the claims, Patel has filed a $250 million lawsuit against The Atlantic and has described the reporting as an “obvious fabrication”.
“I’ve never been intoxicated on the job,” he said again during the press conference.
Reilly nevertheless continued pressing Patel, as the director has argued the allegations are intended to undermine him professionally.
The reporter focused on a specific assertion from the Atlantic story.
The Atlantic report claims Patel told others he believed he had been “fired by the White House” earlier this month after running into problems accessing the FBI’s internal computer system.
While Patel has called the allegation a “lie,” language from his defamation filing indicates he did experience a login issue.
It reads: “On April 10, 2026, Director Patel had a routine technical problem logging into a government system.”
“Did you communicate with anyone that you thought you were fired after you were unable to log into the,” Reilly asked, before Patel cut in to respond.
Patel replied: “The problem with you and your baseless reporting is that is an absolute lie. It was never said, it never happened, and I will serve in this administration as long as the president and the attorney general want me to do so.”
As the questioning continued, Patel added: “I’ve answered your question. It’s simply as follows. I was never locked out of my systems.”
With the exchange growing more tense, Blanche stepped in to address Reilly directly.
“Stop, you’re being extraordinarily rude, and I know maybe that’s part of your profession, but please just stop,” he said. “If you ask a question, he can answer it… Just a little bit of respect, man, just a tiny little bit.”
The Atlantic responded in a statement: “We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend the Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit.”
Patel’s representatives have been contacted for comment.