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Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s FBI pick, targeted in Iranian hack: Reports
Multiple sources cited by US media reports claimed that the FBI informed Kash Patel and Donald Trump’s team about the Iranian cyberattack.
Kash Patel, US President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Federal Bureau of Investigation director, was notified by the agency that it had been targeted in an “Iranian hack,” CNN reported, citing sources. According to an unnamed source, the hackers may have accessed some of Kash Patel’s communications.
Donald Trump's transition spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer, while not commenting directly on the hack, said Kash Patel had played a significant role in the first Trump administration's efforts against Iran and would implement Trump’s policies to safeguard America as FBI Director.
“Kash Patel was a key part of the first Trump administration’s efforts against the terrorist Iranian regime and will implement President Trump’s policies to protect America from adversaries as the FBI Director,” Trump transition spokesman Alex Pfeiffer was quoted as saying by The Washington Post.
Multiple sources cited by US media reports said that the FBI informed Kash Patel and Donald Trump’s team about the cyberattack. However, the Trump transition team did not directly confirm or comment on the incident.
The incident comes amid increased foreign hacking attempts targeting Trump’s inner circle.
Last month, the FBI informed Todd Blanche, Trump’s lead attorney and nominee for deputy attorney general, that Chinese hackers had tapped his cellphone, according to sources. The Chinese government has denied any involvement.
For several years, Iran has targeted members of Trump’s first administration and, more recently, shared information stolen from his presidential campaign with individuals linked to President Joe Biden’s campaign this summer.
In June, Iranian hackers accessed the email account of Trump ally Roger Stone and used it in an attempt to hack into the email of a senior Trump campaign official, according to investigators.
The Iranian government has denied US allegations of attempting to interfere in the November election.
Who is Kash Patel?
Kash Patel, an Indian American, has been a prominent figure in Donald Trump's circle for years, known for his strong loyalty and shared skepticism of the FBI and the intelligence community.
Now, with Trump selecting him to head the FBI, Patel is gaining renewed attention from both the public and Congress. A fierce critic of the so-called "deep state," Patel has consistently opposed government agencies like the FBI that he believes work against the president's agenda.
Patel has advocated for significant changes to the FBI, including stripping it of its intelligence-gathering role and purging employees who do not align with Trump’s policies.
One of Patel's most contentious proposals is relocating the FBI’s headquarters from Washington, DC, to reduce political influence on its leadership and refocus the agency on law enforcement rather than political manoeuvring. He has also called for major cuts to the FBI's general counsel’s office, which he argues has been overstepping its authority and making prosecutorial decisions.
