Kash Patel mulls roping in UFC trainers to hone FBI agents' self defence skills

US President Donald Trump is a fan of UFC. The sport involves mixed martial arts bouts pitting two competitors against each other in a cage.

Published on: Feb 28, 2025, 06:25:30 IST

By HT News Desk

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Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) new director Kash Patel is considering bringing in trainers from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to beef up the agents' martial arts and self-defence skills, Reuters reported. The UFC is a popular American mixed martial arts company.

Kash Patel (left) said he was exploring a partnership between the FBI and the UFC

Patel, who was sworn in as the new agency boss, discussed the idea during his first video conference call with the FBI's 55 field office supervisors.

Two people briefed on the matter, told Reuters that current FBI agents described the idea as "surreal" and “wacky.”

Donald Trump is a fan of UFC

According to Reuters, US President Donald Trump is a fan of UFC. The sport involves mixed martial arts bouts pitting two competitors against each other in a cage.

Trump attended a UFC event in New York days after his November election victory, sitting with UFC President Dana White, whom he counts as a “close friend”.

A UFC official said the firm is "not aware of any information regarding UFC and FBI training."

According to the Reuters report, Patel said that Dan Bongino, his deputy, is a huge UFC fan and that he inspired Patel to try the training. The FBI director added that he thought “it is great” and was exploring a partnership between the FBI and the UFC.

"There is training the FBI receives in physical altercations. If Kash Patel believed that should be beefed up, the answer is not to go to Donald Trump's best friend who runs the UFC," a former Justice Department official said.

"It's clearly motivated by the glitz and glamour show, and Trump's friend," said the official.

Patel has rattled the bureau since he was sworn in last week. One of his first acts was to call for some 1,500 FBI employees to be transferred from Washington to field offices around the country and an FBI office in Huntsville, Alabama.

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HT News Desk
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