Washington, United States: Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel, a staunch ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, has made history as the first Indian-origin Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Republican-led Senate confirmed his appointment on Thursday with a narrow 51-49 vote.
In a Bollywood-inspired celebration, Dan Scavino, White House Deputy Chief of Staff and a close aide to Trump, welcomed Patel in a unique style. Scavino shared a video on X featuring the energetic song Malhari from Bajirao Mastani, originally performed by actor Ranveer Singh—but with Patel’s face superimposed over Singh’s.
The song, which roughly translates to “Let’s celebrate our victory… We have crushed our enemies,” set the tone for the congratulatory message. “Congratulations to the new Director of the FBI, @Kash_Patel,” Scavino captioned the post.
The 47-second clip has amassed over three million views and more than 10,000 likes so far.
Mr. Patel’s confirmation came after a tight 51-49 vote in the Republican-controlled Senate. Notably, Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins joined all Democrats in opposing his appointment. Despite their resistance, Patel secured the role.
Outside the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., a Democratic senator voiced strong opposition, warning at a press conference that Patel “will cause evil in this building behind us.”
Shortly after his confirmation, Mr. Patel expressed gratitude to former President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi for their support. He pledged to restore public trust in the FBI and rebuild the agency with a focus on transparency, accountability, and justice.
“The FBI has a storied legacy—from the ‘G-Men’ era to protecting our nation after 9/11. The American people deserve an FBI that upholds transparency, accountability, and justice. The politicization of our justice system has eroded public trust—but that ends today,” Patel wrote in a post on X.
“My mission as Director is clear: let good cops be cops—and rebuild trust in the FBI. Mission First. America Always. Let’s get to work,” he added.
Born in New York in 1980 to Gujarati parents, Mr. Patel spent part of his childhood in East Africa before returning to the U.S. He attended Garden City High School in Long Island and later earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond. He then pursued a law degree in New York, along with a certificate in International Law from University College London in the U.K., according to his Department of Defense profile.
Mr. Patel has held key roles in national security, including serving as National Security Advisor and Senior Counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI).
