Kash Patel's futile quest for validation

https://www.salon.com/2026/04/24/kash-patels-futile-quest-for-validation/

Kash Patel’s futile quest for validation
The FBI director tries to force his popularity on the American public and media — and it backfires
By Amanda Marcotte
Published April 24, 2026

The Atlantic’s recent exposé of Kash Patel is full of alarming allegations. The FBI director, according to sources, has exhibited erratic behavior and absenteeism stemming from what is described as heavy drinking. Especially worrisome is the claim that his staff has repeatedly had “difficulty waking Patel because he was seemingly intoxicated.”

But it was the article’s opening anecdote that drew the most chatter online because it portrayed Patel as hyper-paranoid. In early April, the sources allege, he had a “freak-out” because he couldn’t log onto his work computer. He reportedly “panicked, frantically calling aides and allies to announce that he had been fired.” It turned out to be a technical error; as of this writing, Patel continues to serve as FBI director.

While this story is funny, I have a different theory as to why it went so viral. I believe it illustrates a widespread suspicion many political observers have about Patel — that he is plagued with a sweaty desire for approval and a constant fear of rejection.

This is an administration that is, after all, populated by self-involved personalities, and it’s led by Donald Trump, the biggest narcissist of them all. Even so, Patel stands out for how he appears to crave online adulation and lashes out at any perceived criticism.

Last summer, a similar story appeared in the New York Times. The FBI director, the article alleged, was ordering polygraph tests on bureau officials to ask whether “they have said anything negative about Mr. Patel.” Unprofessional and disturbing as the claim may be, it also provides a hilarious example of how narcissists defeat themselves. When former agents spoke to the New York Times on Wednesday, they described being initially open and “cautiously optimistic” about Patel. But it’s hard to imagine anyone would retain a desire to like the guy after he made them endure a polygraph to assess his own popularity.

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