# The FBI director who wants his critics answered

> Released FBI records show Kash Patel pressing his staff to hunt down the people mocking him online.
- Title: The FBI director who wants his critics answered · Mother Jones
- Summary: Released FBI records show Kash Patel pressing his staff to hunt down the people mocking him online. The head of the FBI put his attention on a troll post…
- Keywords: fbi, kash patel, politics, foia, media, director, wants, critics, answered, Mother Jones
- Source: Mother Jones — https://motherjones.com/politics/2026/09/what-does-fbi-director-kash-patel-actually-do
- Author: Alex Nguyen
- Published: 2026-09-11T11:58:05+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: fbi, kash patel, politics, foia, media
## A director off task
Mother Jones opens with a flat verdict on Kash Patel's performance as FBI director, and says the latest evidence for it landed on Thursday.

> FBI Director Kash Patel seems to be very bad at his job.
## Documents surface online
National security journalist Seth Hettena found records showing Patel telling his team to search for accounts that criticize him and to respond to them.
## One troll post, one text
In February, Patel sent his public affairs chief Ben Williamson a link to an X post mocking him from what looked like a troll account with a slur in its handle.
## The aide pushes back
Williamson identified the account as a bot and told Patel that replying would reflect badly on him. Patel fixated on the reaction to the post instead.

> this is an 'Epstein didn't kill himself' bot account if you're wondering where that's coming from
## 277k responses, sort of
Patel's number appears to be views, not replies. By Friday the post had about 492 comments, 1,000 reposts and quotes, and 16,000 likes.

> what i asked you and your team to do is find them, and post our record year results back at them all, continuously
## Part of a pattern
An April report in The Atlantic described heavy drinking and long unexplained absences from his post. Patel sued for defamation, and the case is still pending.
## Key takeaway

The head of the FBI put his attention on a troll post with a few hundred comments, and his own press aide had to talk him out of replying.