Can Kash Patel “Make the FBI Great Again”?

When Kashyap “Kash” Patel entered the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room on Thursday, January 30, he made headlines for many reasons. But one was perhaps more unexpected than others: before taking his seat, he touched his parents’ feet. 

“I’d like to welcome my father, Pramod, and my mother, Anjana, who are sitting here today,” he said in his opening statement. “They traveled to get here from India. My sister is also here…It means the world that you guys are here. Jai Shri Krishna.” 

According to U.S. President Donald Trump, “only one guy” can “make the FBI great again.” That guy is a 44-year-old Gujarati American former federal prosecutor, occasional children’s book author, conspiracy theorist, and COVID supplement shiller. While only months before, Patel had remained a relatively obscure figure, today, he might be one of the most famous Patels in the country. His confirmation isn’t a given, but his ability to grip a nation — from the viral memes of his surprised face to his brash personality on podcasts — has left everyone talking. Yet, we can’t separate the candidate to lead one of America’s most storied institutions from his family history.