Patel has criticized surveillance practices, calling for reforms to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and opposing its recent reauthorization. He also suggested reducing the intelligence community’s size and splitting the FBI’s intelligence and law enforcement roles—moves that experts warn could weaken national security operations.

But the Florida Republican was hardly the only Trump selection apparently girding to use political and legal power against perceived MAGA enemies. Trump made a Gaetz-esque pick fo

Trump's pick for FBI director, Kash Patel, has vowed to "come after" the media. But he also later emphasized to NBC News that his comments only apply if people "broke the law."

President Elect Donald Trump named Kash Patel to potentially lead the FBI. The nomination would require Trump to fire current Director Christopher Wray, whom he named to the post in his first term.

The apparent hackers targeted Kash Patel's communications, but whether they succeeded and how much access they had to the data is still being investigated, the sources said.