FBI Director Kash Patel Files $250 Million Defamation Against The Atlantic Over Excessive Drinking Claims
FBI Director Kash Patel speaks at the Rx and Illicit drug Summit, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo: AP Photo/John Amis)
FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a $250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, alleging that the outlet made “categorically false” accusations of excessive drinking and irresponsible behavior in a recent article.
The piece in question, titled “The FBI Director is MIA,” was published on April 17th, quickly circulating on social media and inspiring a slew of follow-up articles from outlets like Forbes and The Independent.
In a Sunday interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, Patel likened the article’s contents to “toxic waste,” adding: “You want to attack my character, come at me, bring it on. I’ll see you in court.”
The article details several alleged incidents throughout Patel’s tenure as FBI Director, opening with an “IT-lockout episode” in which he reportedly believed he had been fired by the White House. The article also mentions reports of unexplained absences, impulsive social media posts and politically motivated firings days ahead of the Iran war.
Three passages call attention to Patel’s alleged drinking habit. Several sources reportedly told The Atlantic that Patel regularly drinks “to the point of obvious intoxication” at private clubs in Washington, D.C., after which he is known to reschedule morning meetings. In a separate anecdote, The Atlantic describes a scene in which SWAT breaching equipment was requested to break down a locked door, behind which was Patel, implied to be intoxicated and unreachable.
The final passage claims that FBI officials are concerned about the potential link between alcohol use and inaccurate public statements, including a social media post made by Patel that spuriously claimed a suspect was in custody the day after the murder of Charlie Kirk.
The Atlantic has defended Fitzpatrick’s reporting, moving the case forward in the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia.
“We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit,” the magazine said in a statement.
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