Several Republican senators said in media interviews this week that they are open to Kash Patel heading the FBI, after President-elect Donald Trump nominated Patel for the role.
Trump’s nomination of Patel, a former Pentagon official in his first administration, was made over the weekend. The role would require Senate confirmation with only a few Republican defections if Democrats are unified in their opposition to Patel.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who had been against Trump’s choice to name former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as attorney general before he withdrew, suggested she would need time to review his profile.
“I don’t know Kash Patel,” Collins told reporters. “I had heard his name, but I don’t know his background, and I’m going to have to do a lot of work before reaching a decision on him. In general, I’ve found it’s important to review the background check, the committee work, and the public hearing.”…