The Cincinnati Bengals are expected to hit Tee Higgins with the franchise tag for the second consecutive season, according to SI.com.
However, it isn’t because the Bengals don’t want to extend him.
SI adds that the Bengals intend on signing Higgins long-term after tagging him.
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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) catches a pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. (Barry Reeger-Imagn Images)
It’s also worth noting Cincinnati intends on hitting Higgins with the non-exclusive tag, which means they would be compensated with two first-round draft picks if he were to sign elsewhere.
Higgins was expected to be among the top free agents available this offseason, but the Bengals are clearly showing they still want him to be a part of their offensive efforts.
BENGALS’ JOE BURROW SAYS HE PUT UP MVP-CALIBER SEASON DESPITE LINGERING WRIST INJURY
Last offseason was contentious, though, when Higgins was hit with the franchise tag. They had a bit of drama, as Higgins wanted his long-term deal to remain with the team, but he ultimately played on his franchise tag.
The Bengals and Higgins will now have until Feb. 18 to March 4 to negotiate a contract before they decide to officially tag him.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) walks off the field after the victory over the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium. (Katie Stratman-Imagn Images)
Higgins’ teammates have been vocal with their support of him, hoping the front office and the veteran receiver can find common ground.
“You don’t want to make a habit of letting great players get out of the building,” quarterback Joe Burrow said of Higgins following the Bengals’ rollercoaster 2024 campaign. “Tee is a great player and a guy that does everything the right way. He works really hard for it.”
Ja’Marr Chase, Higgins’ receiving counterpart, also said something to the same effect.
The 26-year-old Higgins is coming off a season where he caught 73 passes from Burrow, the NFL’s leading passer in 2024, for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns. Over five seasons with Cincinnati, Higgins has 4,595 yards with 34 touchdowns on 330 catches.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) in the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
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If Higgins were to play on the franchise tag in 2025, he would be guaranteed $26.18 million for the year, as the league combines the average of the top five receiver salaries from last season.
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President Donald Trump was at Super Bowl LIX last weekend to see the Philadelphia Eagles clobber the Kansas City Chiefs, and on Sunday, he is expected to attend NASCAR’s Super Bowl – the Daytona 500.
“The Great American Race” is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX at Daytona International Speedway, which kicks off the 2025 NASCAR season.
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President Donald Trump speaks before the start of the NASCAR Daytona 500 in Florida, Feb. 16, 2020.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
It’s the second time Trump is attending the race. He was there in 2020, and given the honor of being the grand marshal of the event as he ran for president. He said then on Fox News that he liked NASCAR because of the bravery of drivers pursuing “pure American glory.”
He said the Daytona 500 is a “legendary display of roaring engines, soaring spirits and the American skill, speed and power that we’ve been hearing about for so many years. The tens of thousands of patriots here today have come for the fast cars and the world-class motorsports. But NASCAR fans never forget that no matter who wins the race, what matters most is God, family and country.”
KYLE LARSON IS ON A TEAR IN 2025. CAN HE KEEP IT GOING WITH A DAYTONA 500 WIN?
Bubba Wallace drives during a practice session for the NASCAR Daytona 500 on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in Florida.(AP Photo/John Raoux)
NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, who got into a spat with Trump during the 2020 season, was asked during the week about the possibility of the president attending the race. He said he “couldn’t care less” if Trump showed up or not.
“We’re here to race. Not for the show,” Wallace added.
Chase Briscoe is on the pole for the race with Austin Cindric next to him on the front row. Wallace is in third.
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Kyle Larson waits while his crew makes adjustments to his car during a practice session for the NASCAR Daytona 500.(AP Photo/John Raoux)
Barrons Roundtable unpacks the impact of President Donald Trumps tariff plans.
Inflation ticked higher in January as stubbornly high prices continued to strain Americans’ household finances as the Federal Reserve weighs a continued pause to its interest rate cut plans.
The Labor Department on Wednesday said that the consumer price index – a broad measure of how much everyday goods like gasoline, groceries and rent cost – increased 0.5% in January while it rose to 3% on an annual basis.
Both the annual and headline CPI figures were hotter than the estimates of economists polled by LSEG.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
President Donald Trump golfed with Tiger Woods on Sunday morning at Trump International Golf Club in Florida before his expected visit to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX, a White House official told Fox News.
Trump is expected to head to the Caesars Superdome for the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. The president’s interview with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier will also air at 3 p.m. ET.
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President Donald Trump presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Tiger Woods at the White House on May 6, 2019.(Scott Taetsch-USA Today Sports)
Trump and Woods have become close over the years. Woods announced the death of his mother earlier in the week.
“It is with heartfelt sadness that I want to share that my dear mother, Kultida Woods, passed away early this morning,” Woods wrote in a post on X. “My Mom was a force of nature all her own, her spirit was simply undeniable. She was quick with the needle and a laugh. She was my biggest fan, greatest supporter, without her none of my personal achievements would have been possible. She was loved by so many, but especially by her two grandchildren, Sam and Charlie.
“Thank you all for your support, prayers and privacy at this difficult time for me and my family. Love you Mom.”
HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI
From left, Erica Herman, Kultida Woods, Sam Alexis Woods, Charlie Axel Woods, Tiger Woods, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pose for photographs after Tiger Woods was presented with the Medal of Freedom at the White House, May 6, 2019.(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Trump offered his condolences to the legendary golfer. Kultida Woods was with her son in 2019 when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump.
“I was just informed that Tiger Woods’ wonderful Mother, Kultida, passed away – She has gone onto greener fairways!” Trump wrote in a post. “Kultida Woods was an amazing influence on Tiger, and gave him much of his strength and brilliance. Melania and I send our love and prayers to Tiger and his incredible family!”
It’s unclear if Woods will be at the game as well.
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Stream Super Bowl LIX coverage on Tubi for free.(Tubi)
Coverage of Super Bowl LIX begins at 1 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on FOX and streamed live on Tubi.
Fox News’ Pat Ward contributed to this report.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
Randi Mahomes, the mother of Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, walked the carpet ahead of the NFL Honors in New Orleans Thursday night.
Mahomes will be in the stands at the Caesars Superdome to cheer on her son and the Chiefs as they compete for a historic third consecutive Super Bowl title.
President Donald Trump is expected to make an appearance as well. Should he attend, he would become the first sitting president at a Super Bowl.
Mahomes backed Trump ahead of his presidential election victory over Kamala Harris.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates with his mother, Randi Martin, during the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade in Kansas City, Mo., Feb. 15, 2023.(Denny Medley/USA Today Sports)
“I think for a president of our country, of the United States, I think it’s amazing,” she told Fox News Digital. “I think whoever the president is, to support the teams, to support America’s best sport. … I think it’s really neat for a president to be able to support it. You know what, let’s do it.”
The Chiefs’ star quarterback also reacted to the possibility of Trump attending the game while speaking to reporters Wednesday.
HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI
President Donald Trump (Evan Vucci/AP)
“It’s always cool to be able to play in front of a sitting president,” Mahomes said. “Someone that is at the top position in our country.”
Trump also congratulated Patrick and Brittany Mahomes on the birth of their third child ahead of the game.
When the president was asked earlier in the week who he was pulling for, he played a little coy.
“I don’t want to say, but there’s a certain quarterback that seems to be a pretty good winner,” he said.
Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi.(Tubi)
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FOX’s coverage of the Super Bowl begins at 1 p.m. ET with the game kicking off at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game can be streamed on Tubi for free.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
President Donald Trump is expected to attend Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday to watch the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
Trump would be the first sitting president to attend the game, according to the New York Post. Punchbowl News first reported the president was expected to head to Caesars Superdome for the game. The Associated Press confirmed the report, citing a White House official.
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Signs for Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Casino in New Orleans, Feb. 3, 2025.(Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
A source familiar with the matter also told Fox News Digital he would be at the game.
The president has attended college football games over the last few years. He made his presence felt at the Alabama-Georgia game in September and attended the Army-Navy game after he won the election over Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump didn’t attend many NFL games the first time around as he clashed with players’ decision to kneel for the national anthem as a form of protest against social injustice. He was at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ game against the New York Jets in October after a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
He will have plenty of fans in attendance at the game. Brittany Mahomes and her mother-in-law Randi both supported the president during his re-election campaign.
Former President Donald Trump gestures as the Steelers play the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Oct. 20, 2024.(Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)
HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI
Before the game kicks off, Trump will speak with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier. The pre-taped interview took place at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and will air in the 3 p.m. ET hour on Super Bowl Sunday.
Super Bowl LIX will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET. Pregame coverage can be seen on FOX beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Tubi will also stream coverage on its platform for the first time.
Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi.(Tubi)
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The Chiefs are looking to make history as the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
Entrepreneur and author Vivek Ramaswamy, who is expected to launch a gubernatorial bid in the Buckeye State, is racking up support from U.S. senators.
GOP Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee both expressed their support for Ramaswamy in posts on Monday.
“If @VivekGRamaswamy runs for governor of Ohio (and I hope he does) he will not only win—he will transform Ohio for the better,” Lee declared in a tweet. “The results will benefit Ohioans—and Americans—for generations I’m honored to have worked with @VivekGRamaswamy, and I support him wholeheartedly.”
TOP JD VANCE POLITICAL ADVISORS TO STEER RAMASWAMY RUN FOR OHIO GOVERNOR
Vivek Ramaswamy arrives to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024(Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“It’s been such a pleasure getting to know @VivekGRamaswamy and work with him. He has a servant’s heart and a brilliant entrepreneurial mind. The people of Ohio would be well served by his leadership, and if he chooses to run, he’ll have my full support,” Blackburn noted in a post.
Ramaswamy retweeted each of the lawmakers’ posts, thanking them.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., a former Florida governor, endorsed Ramaswamy for Ohio governor last week.
“I’ve had the privilege of working closely with @VivekGRamaswamy and he is totally focused on trying to save our country. He is a business guy who understands what’s needed to grow jobs, make government efficient and help families prosper. He would be a fantastic Governor and I hope he runs for Governor of Ohio. If he runs, he has my full support and endorsement.” Scott noted in a tweet.
Ramaswamy retweeted Scott and thanked him.
MIKE LEE FLOATS ALLOWING PRIVATE PARTIES TO TARGET DRUG CARTELS FOR PROFIT
Ramaswamy has not yet made an announcement, but has been hinting about his plans.
During an appearance on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Ramaswamy stated that he would seek elected office.
“Ohio was the epicenter of the Industrial Revolution. Toledo was the glass capital, Akron was the rubber capital, Youngstown & Cleveland led in steel, Dayton in computing, Cincinnati in consumer products. In 1950, 6 of the 15 wealthiest U.S. cities were in Ohio. There’s no reason we can’t be a frontier state again,” he declared in a tweet.
The Ohio gubernatorial race will take place in 2026.
VIVEK RAMASWAMY EXPOSES ‘NATIONAL SECURITY RISK’ AS STUDENTS FALL BEHIND IN SCHOOL
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Current Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican who has held the role since early 2019, is not eligible to run again next year.
Last year, Trump announced Elon Musk and Ramaswamy as his picks to spearhead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort, but on inauguration day, Ramaswamy noted in a post on X, “It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. I’m confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio.”
Ramaswamy launched a White House bid in 2023, but dropped out and endorsed Trump in 2024.
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TEL AVIV – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday is geared toward bolstering ties with and securing guarantees from the Trump administration primarily over Iran and the war against Hamas, according to current and former Israeli officials.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s historic visit to Washington will mark a significant moment in Israel-U.S. relations, setting a tone of close cooperation and friendship between the Israeli government and the Trump administration,” Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter told Fox News Digital.
“The prime minister will be the first foreign leader to visit the White House in President Trump’s second term, and his visit will spur bilateral efforts to promote security and prosperity in the U.S., Israel and the Middle East,” he added.
AMERICAN AMONG THREE HOSTAGES FREED FROM TERROR’S GRIP AFTER NEARLY 500 DAYS
Benjamin Netanyahu leaves Israel for a meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., February 2025.
Leiter, appearing on “America’s Newsroom” last week, told Dana Perino that Iran would be front and center during the Trump-Netanyahu meeting. “We will make the point that to allow Tehran to maintain its nuclear capabilities, which they can raise very quickly toward nuclear weapons, is simply unacceptable,” he stated.
Netanyahu was last at the White House on July 25, 2024, with then-President Biden having only invited the Israeli leader some 20 months after his re-election. This was widely viewed as a snub by Biden, whose party has increasingly distanced itself from traditional bipartisan support for the Jewish state.
Netanyahu told reporters ahead of his departure that it was “telling” Trump chose to meet him first, describing it as “a testimony to the strength of the American-Israeli alliance.”
Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters ahead of his departure that it was “telling” Trump chose to meet him first.(Prime Minister’s Office)
“This meeting will deal with important issues, critical issues facing Israel and our region, victory over Hamas, achieving the release of all our hostages and dealing with the Iranian terror axis and all its components – an axis that threatens the peace of Israel, the Middle East and the entire world,” he said.
There are currently 79 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, including six dual US-Israeli citizens. “Regarding agenda terms, Trump will want Netanyahu to proceed to the second phase of the truce agreement with Hamas. This is very difficult for Israel, since this basically leaves the terror group in power in Gaza,” former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren told Fox News Digital.
Former President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago estate, in Palm Beach, Florida, on July 26, 2024.(Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
While Trump has said he was “not confident” the ceasefire deal would hold, his Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff visited Israel last week and reportedly pushed for the implementation of all three phases. According to Netanyahu, Trump has committed to supporting the resumption of the war if negotiations with Hamas prove “futile.”
“There may also be discussion about the future of the Palestinian issue and ways in which the Trump peace plan unveiled during his first term can be revived, as well as how a normalization push between Israel and Saudi Arabia can be concluded,” Oren said. “I think the major pressure point would be the ‘P’ word, which refers to the Saudis insisting on a pathway to Palestinian statehood. Parts of Netanyahu’s coalition and even some within his own party will not discuss the ‘P’ word.”
IRAN HIDING MISSILE, DRONE PROGRAMS UNDER GUISE OF COMMERCIAL FRONT TO EVADE SANCTIONS
The families of the four released hostages reunite with their daughters on Jan. 25, 2025.(IDF Spokesman’ Unit)
On this point, the two leaders may be aligned, with Trump insisting that Gaza be rebuilt “in a different way.” He also indicated his desire to relocate Gazans to Arab countries. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out [Gaza] and say, ‘You know, it’s over,’” he said.
During his first term, Trump pulled Washington out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, which was orchestrated by the Obama administration. However, the Biden administration undid most of Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran – consisting primarily of crippling sanctions – by rehashing many Obama-era policies.
“I believe that Trump is prepared to immediately snap back paralyzing sanctions and issue a credible military threat to bring Iran back to the negotiating table for an agreement on its nuclear infrastructure, ballistic missile testing and terror financing,” Danny Ayalon, former Israeli deputy foreign minister and ambassador to the U.S., told Fox News Digital.
“If not, the Iranians will be subject to a major operation that may be through an American-led coalition or different structures with or without Israel,” he added, while referencing an Axios report last month that the U.S. president might “either support an Israeli military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities… or even order a U.S. strike.” However, Ayalon said Trump will express a preference for a diplomatic solution, possibly placing him at odds with Netanyahu.
BUSY WEEK AHEAD FOR TRUMP, CABINET PICKS
Hamas terrorists watch on as four hostages are released to the Red Cross as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel.(TPS-IL)
Ayalon also noted Netanyahu’s appreciation for Trump’s initiative to punish the International Criminal Court, which in November issued arrest warrants for the Israeli premier and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the prosecution of the war against Hamas, while suggesting that normalization between Jerusalem and Riyadh would be raised as part of a broader effort to reshape the Middle East.
“A potential economic corridor from Asia to Europe through Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, maybe even the Palestinian Authority, works very well with Trump’s agenda of countering aggressive Chinese expansionism through the Belt and Road Initiative,” Ayalon said.
Other agenda items might include a possible U.S.-backed push to apply Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank, also known by Israel as Judea and Samaria – a prospect Netanyahu shelved during Trump’s first term in favor of forging the Abraham Accords – and expanding overall defense ties, including by advancing the American president’s goal of developing an Iron Dome-like missile shield for the United States.
“It is very different from the Biden administration. Of course, it is more aggressive but that’s only part of it. Trump sees the problem of Gaza in a wider perspective” that includes the Saudis, Qataris, Egyptians and other regional players, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Hannan Gefen, the former commander of IDF’s elite Unit 8200, told Fox News Digital.
“Trump, in his second term, is repeating his willingness to withdraw from the Kurdish-controlled northeastern part of Syria, which may contrast with Israel’s interest,” he explained. “In Lebanon, there might be a disagreement if Israel sees Hezbollah [violating the ceasefire and] regaining power, and wants to strike terror bases. Regarding the Houthis in Yemen, Israel and the Saudis will try to direct Trump’s policy to be more assertive than Biden was toward the Iranian proxy.”
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Displaced Palestinians arrive in central Gaza after fleeing from the southern city of Rafah on May 9.(AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)
While any gaps between the sides will be overshadowed by the pomp and circumstance accompanying a visit by Netanyahu to D.C., Likud lawmaker Boaz Bismuth told Fox News Digital that the prime minister “won’t make any concessions on issues that relate to Israel’s national security.
“Our national interests come above all else – the state has an obligation toward its civilians and the right to defend itself,” Bismuth said. “Fortunately, Trump has a thriving relationship with Israel and is a great friend of ours.”
The Claman Countdown panelists Jonathan Corpina and Ashish Shah unpack the cause of market volatility and discuss the Federal Reserves decision to leave rates unchanged.
The U.S. economy grew slower than expected in the fourth quarter, according to new data released on Thursday.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis released its advance estimate for fourth-quarter gross domestic product (GDP), which found the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2.3% in the fourth quarter, which runs from October through December.
Economists surveyed by LSEG had expected the economy to grow at a 2.6% rate in the quarter.
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President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, is expected to trade barbs with lawmakers in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
Patel, a former public defender, Department of Justice official and longtime Trump ally, will join the Senate committee at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, when lawmakers are anticipated to grill the nominee on plans detailed in his 2023 book to overhaul the FBI, his crusade against the “deep state” and his resume, as Democrats argue the nominee lacks the qualifications for the role.
The president and his allies, however, staunchly have defended Patel, with Senate Judiciary member Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., arguing that Democrats are “fearful” of Patel’s nomination and confirmation due to “what he’s going to reveal” to the general public.
“They are very fearful of Kash Patel, because Kash Patel knows what Adam Schiff and some of the others did with Russia collusion, and they know that he he knows – the dirt on them, if you will – and I think they’re fearful of what he’s going to do and what he’s going to reveal,” Blackburn said on Fox News on Sunday.
WHO IS KASH PATEL? TRUMP’S PICK TO LEAD THE FBI HAS LONG HISTORY VOWING TO BUST UP ‘DEEP STATE’
President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, is expected to trade barbs with lawmakers in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Patel, a New York native, worked as a public defender in Florida’s Miami-Dade after earning his law degree in 2005 from Pace University in New York City.
Patel’s national name recognition grew under the first Trump administration, when he worked as the national security advisor and senior counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence under the leadership of Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. Patel became known as the man behind the “Nunes Memo” – a four-page document released in 2018 that revealed improper use of surveillance by the FBI and the Justice Department in the Russia investigation into Trump.
Patel was named senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council in 2019. In that role, he assisted the Trump White House in eliminating foreign terrorist leadership, such as ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019 and al Qaeda terrorist Qasim al-Raymi in 2020, according to his biography. His efforts ending terrorist threats under the Trump administration came after he won a DOJ award in 2017 for his prosecution and conviction of 12 terrorists responsible for the World Cup bombings in 2010 in Uganda under the Obama administration.
Following the 2020 election, Patel remained a steadfast ally of Trump’s, joining the 45th president during his trial in Manhattan in the spring of 2024, and echoing that the United States’ security and law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, need to be overhauled.
‘JUST LIKE TRUMP’: ISIS MURDER VICTIM KAYLA MUELLER’S PARENTS ENDORSE PATEL FOR FBI FOLLOWING MILITARY OP ROLE
Kash Patel worked as a public defender in Florida’s Miami-Dade after earning his law degree in 2005 from Pace University in New York City. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Patel underscored in his 2023 book, “Government Gangsters,” that “deep state” government employees have politicized and weaponized the law enforcement agency – and explicitly called for the revamp of the FBI in a chapter dubbed “Overhauling the FBI.”
“Things are bad. There’s no denying it,” he wrote in the book. “The FBI has gravely abused its power, threatening not only the rule of law, but the very foundations of self-government at the root of our democracy. But this isn’t the end of the story. Change is possible at the FBI and desperately needed.”
“The fact is we need a federal agency that investigates federal crimes, and that agency will always be at risk of having its powers abused,” he wrote, advocating the firing of “corrupt actors,” “aggressive” congressional oversight over the agency and the complete overhaul of special counsels.
FORMER TRUMP OFFICIALS REJECT WHISTLEBLOWER CLAIM THAT FBI DIRECTOR NOMINEE KASH PATEL BROKE HOSTAGE PROTOCOL
Patel adds in his book: “Most importantly, we need to get the FBI the hell out of Washington, D.C. There is no reason for the nation’s law enforcement agency to be centralized in the swamp.”
Trump heralded the book as a “roadmap” to exposing bad actors in the federal government and said it is a “blueprint to help us take back the White House and remove these Gangsters from all of Government.”
Patel has spoken out against a number of high-profile investigations and issues he sees within the DOJ in the past few years. He slammed the department, for example, for allegedly burying evidence related to the identity of a suspect who allegedly planted pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties in Washington, D.C., a day ahead of Jan. 6, 2021.
‘BEACON OF SELFLESSNESS’: ISIS VICTIM KAYLA MUELLER HONORED AT CONGRESSMAN’S SWEARING-IN 10 YEARS AFTER DEATH
Patel has also said Trump could release both the Jeffrey Epstein client list and Sean “Diddy” Combs party attendee lists, which could expose those allegedly involved in sex and human trafficking crimes.
Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Amy Klobuchar and Mazie Hirono, who sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee.(Getty Images)
Senate Democrats received an anonymous whistleblower report that was publicly reported Monday alleging Patel violated protocol during a hostage rescue mission in October 2020, an allegation Trump’s orbit has brushed off.
The whistleblower claimed that Patel leaked to the Wall Street Journal that two Americans and the remains of a third were being transferred to U.S. custody from Yemen, where they had been held hostage by Houthi rebels, before the hostages were actually in U.S. custody. Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, obtained the whistleblower report.
A transition official pushed back on the report in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, saying Patel has a “track record of success.”
‘WHEN THEY FAIL, AMERICANS DIE’: TRUMP SOURCE BLASTS FBI, URGES SWIFT CONFIRMATION OF KASH PATEL AS DIRECTOR
“Mr. Patel was a public defender, decorated prosecutor, and accomplished national security official that kept Americans safe,” the official said. “He has a track record of success in every branch of government, from the courtroom to congressional hearing room to the situation room. There is no veracity to this anonymous source’s complaints about protocol.”
Kash Patel has spoken out against a number of high-profile investigations and issues he sees within the DOJ in the past few years.(Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
Alexander Gray, who served as chief of staff for the White House National Security Council under Trump’s first administration, called the allegation “simply absurd.”
Patel’s nomination comes after six of Trump’s nominees were confirmed by the Senate, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth – who also was viewed as a nominee who faced an uphill confirmation battle.
NATIONAL SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION SLAMS STATE OF POLICING UNDER BIDEN, THROWS FULL SUPPORT BEHIND PATEL FOR FBI
The Senate schedule this week was packed with hearings besides Patel’s, with senators grilling Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday and also holding the hearing for Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to serve as director of national intelligence.
Kash Patel is a former public defender, Department of Justice official and longtime ally of President Donald Trump.(Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)
Patel heads into his hearing armed with a handful of high-profile endorsements, including the National Sheriffs’ Association and National Police Association.
Carl and Marsha Mueller, the parents of ISIS murder victim Kayla Mueller, also notably endorsed Patel, Fox News Digital exclusively reported on Tuesday. Patel helped oversee a military mission in 2019 that killed ISIS leader al-Baghdadi, who was believed to have repeatedly tortured and raped Kayla Mueller before her death in 2015.
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Patel “loves his country. He loves the people of this country,” Marsha Mueller told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview via Zoom on Monday morning. “To us, you know, he is a person that we would go to for help. And he is so action oriented.”
“Just like Trump,” Carl Mueller added to his wife’s comments on Patel’s action-motivated personality.
Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
