Trump picks hard-liner Patel for FBI overhaul, pardoned Kushner for France
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The news: Donald Trump announced key nominations to reshape major federal agencies and the US relationship with France.
The US president-elect chose Kash Patel, a loyalist and outspoken critic of the FBI, to replace Director Christopher Wray. Patel advised the secretary of defence under Trump’s previous administration and has previously suggested carving out the FBI’s intelligence-gathering function, purging its ranks of non-Trump supporters, and investigating – and potentially prosecuting – journalists who he claims have lied about Trump.
Trump also nominated real estate developer Charles Kushner, his son-in-law’s father and a convicted felon pardoned by Trump, as US Ambassador to France, sparking scepticism among French commentators. Kushner, a major Trump donor, served time for tax evasion and campaign finance violations in the early 2000s.
Over the weekend, Trump also selected Florida sheriff Chad Chronister to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration and tackle the flow of illegal fentanyl into the US. Chronister has a 32-year law enforcement career and has been re-elected twice as Hillsborough County sheriff. He, however, has reportedly spent little time in the national spotlight.
Trump also pardoned Chad Chronister’s father-in-law, former 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr, for a 1998 conviction.
The context: All nominations require Senate confirmation.
Trump’s picks follow years of tensions with law enforcement agencies and his longstanding desire to reshape institutions like the FBI and DEA, as he seeks to centralise power, diminish independence and address his grievances with perceived political adversaries.
His nominations also reflect his reliance on close allies and loyalists. Patel, a staunch Trump defender, is a key example, with a history of advocating for radical changes to the FBI and Justice Department.
The choice of Kushner, the Trump’s pardoned family ally, also underscores his preference for personal loyalty and ties over traditional qualifications for high-profile roles.
A Republican-led Senate may support Trump’s plans, but the contentious histories of Patel and Kushner could create obstacles.
What they said: “I am proud to announce that Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Trump posted on social media website Saturday night.
“Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People.”
“This FBI will end the growing crime epidemic in America, dismantle the migrant criminal gangs, and stop the evil scourge of human and drug trafficking across the Border,” Trump added.
Of Kushner, Trump posted: “He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests.”
On the other side of the Atlantic, former French ambassador to the US, Gérard Araud wrote on X. “I recommend reading his résumé. ‘Juicy’ as the Americans would say . . . Needless to say, he has no knowledge of our country. At least he will have access to the president. We console ourselves as best we can.”
The sources: The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times
