FBI Director Kash Patel is under heavy fire from all sides — including his own — after what critics are calling a botched, embarrassing, and ‘amateur hour’ response to the assassination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.
The 22-year-old suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, was arrested after his father went to the family’s pastor, who then contacted law enforcement. Despite the FBI’s very public presence throughout the investigation, it was a tip from the suspect’s own family that cracked the case — not a breakthrough from federal authorities.
Yet Patel initially took a victory lap.
In a press conference, he wrongly claimed the shooter had been caught shortly after the killing, forcing the FBI to walk it back hours later. The damage was done. Conservatives, many of them former allies, were furious.
“Amateur hour,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “He was doing a running commentary. Historically, the FBI keeps its mouth closed until it believes it’s the right time and the right message.”
It wasn’t just a slip-up — it was a meltdown. Patel’s leadership has been called into question not just by political opponents, but by some of the most influential voices in MAGA media.
“The FBI under Kash Patel was utterly incompetent this week,” said writer Charlotte Clymer, “and the only thing that ultimately saved their asses was a father having enough integrity to turn his son into the authorities.”
Commentator A.G. Pasquella posted, “Kash Patel Awards Himself FBI Medal of Valor For Heroically Being Told About The Alleged Shooter Turning Himself In.”
On social media, the reaction was merciless. Bluesky user Murdered by Bluesky wrote, “FBI Director Kash Patel did not disclose for hours that Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer had been arrested so that President Donald Trump could make the announcement on television. It is hard to imagine a more incompetent, corrupt FBI leader — and that’s saying a lot given the FBI’s tenure.”
Even the tone of Patel’s press conference rubbed people the wrong way. “Kash Patel has the look of a guy who just Googled ‘how to FBI’ five minutes before the press conference,” posted Sundae Gurl.
“Patel saying ‘see you in Valhalla’ to someone who very much identified as a Christian is a perfect example of how dumb everything is right now,” journalist Steve Mullis noted.
Jill Filipovic added, “Spoiler: the police did not, in fact, ‘get him.’ His dad turned him in and all Kash Patel’s FBI did was repeatedly release false information.”
The avalanche of criticism didn’t stop there. Even MAGA stalwart Steve Bannon called Patel’s actions into question.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, we watched the nine-minute press conference yesterday… and it appears the kid had said something to the family, the family had the goods to confront him and the family turned him in,” Bannon said. “I’m not seeing the great law enforcement work… This was not through law enforcement work.”
“I don’t know why Kash flew out there, thousands of miles, to give us, ‘hey, we’re working partnerships and our great partnership in Utah,’” he added.
KASH PATEL: Last night we had approximately 7,000 leads. As of this morning, that number has totaled over 11,000. We will run out every lead we receive. pic.twitter.com/tHml053UZj
— Bannon’s WarRoom (@Bannons_WarRoom) September 12, 2025
Perhaps the most damning critique came from conservative activist and Manhattan Institute senior fellow Christopher Rufo — not exactly someone known for going after Team Trump.
“I’m grateful that Utah authorities have captured the suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination, and think it is time for Republicans to assess whether Kash Patel is the right man to run the FBI,” Rufo wrote. “He performed terribly in the last few days, and it’s not clear whether he has the operational expertise to investigate, infiltrate, and disrupt the violent movements — of whatever ideology — that threaten the peace in the United States.”
Rufo wasn’t done. He argued that federal law enforcement must act decisively to stop further violence, “in a principled, legal, nonpartisan manner.” And then he dropped the hammer: “We would be wise to take a moment and ask whether Kash Patel has what it takes to get this done.”
He said he’d spoken to several conservative leaders in recent days — all of them Trump supporters — and “none of whom are confident that the current structure of the FBI is up to this task.”
Comedian Noel Casler didn’t mince words either. “Kash Patel claiming credit for solving an investigation where they got the wrong suspects twice & had to beg public for help which led his own father turning him in does not make a historic win for FBI. All I saw from Kash was that little cross-eyed mf— peacocking at pressers.”
It’s rare for MAGA world to eat its own, but this isn’t just any political scandal. Charlie Kirk was one of the movement’s most visible young stars. For many on the Right, this wasn’t a test Patel could afford to fail — and he blew it.
Now, even his most natural allies are calling for his head.
