Kash Patel cancels FBI morning meetings as he's mostly late: Report

FBI directors, for decades, have been holding a morning meeting daily at 8.30 am. But Kash Patel takes the meeting two days a week as 'sometimes he failed to arrive on time', an NBC News report said, citing officials who worked on Kash Patel's schedule. FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson denied that there was a change in the schedule because Patel was late. He said Patel still attends five morning meetings each week, including three that are smaller than the usual director's brief.

FBI directors used to hold a teleconference with the leaders of the field officers on Wednesdays. Patel has discontinued that over leaking attempts but he's in close touch with the leaders.

Badmouthing campaign against Patel

Kash Patel is facing a volley of attacks over his office timing, his trips, his frequent presence at sporting events -- of late. A former FBI official recently commented on MSNBC's Morning Joe that Patel is spotted more at nightclubs than in the office. The statement had to be retracted by MSNBC which said it did not verify the statement.

Williamson said he meets Kash Patel every day in the office and hence the allegations that Patel is not in the office and working remotely from his home in Las Vegas were bogus.

A friend of Patel told NBC that the only thing that Patel is doing late into the night is going to the gym.

Countering allegations that Patel is not serious about the job, one FBI official told NBC that these are not even remotely true. “I myself am with him in many of these meetings. He asks tons of questions and pushes staff to get to the point and present solutions,” said the official. “To a bad-faith individual who loves to bloviate and gossip to NBC News, that might come off as lack of interest. It’s not. It’s being efficient with time and wanting to fix problems.”

Kash Patel says he wants more budget, withdraws demand

Kash Patel asked for more money from the government for his agency -- $1 billion more than what the White House said.This raised speculations whether staunch Trump-supporter Patel was showing independence but a day later, he told senators that he agreed with the White House budget and will make it work.