The director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel, gave an exclusive interview to The Epoch Times on November 26th, highlighting the agency’s accomplishments this year, including busting spy networks, rescuing missing children, reducing the murder rate to the lowest level in decades, and recovering thousands of government classified documents that were hidden in burn bags.
In the interview, Patel reviewed his first ten months in office, his future expectations and goals, and emphasized the latest developments in major cases targeting drug trafficking groups and other criminal organizations.
The interview was conducted by Jan Jekielek, host of “American Thought Leaders,” and can be viewed on EpochTV.
Here are nine key points from the interview:
Patel stated that recent media reports claiming President Trump was considering dismissing him are “completely false.”
He said, “The whole thing is quite absurd because at the time, the President and I were discussing national law enforcement operations with the team, the Attorney General, and other department members when suddenly we were reminded that the media was reporting that I was about to be fired.”
Patel believes that the reports are an attempt to divert attention from the FBI’s achievements over the past ten months.
He said, “I think we are executing the President’s mission in an unprecedented manner. When the media, as usual, allies with anonymous sources, and the public opinion grows stronger, it actually proves the unprecedented effectiveness of our actions.”
Regarding the decision of federal judge Cameron McGowan Currie in South Carolina to dismiss charges against former FBI Director James Comey on November 24, Patel responded that there will be further information disclosed in response.
“After Thanksgiving, there will be several responses, so stay tuned,” Patel said.
Comey was accused of lying to Congress in 2020. The dismissal of the charges has cast uncertainty on future legal actions due to the expiration of the statute of limitations, and Judge Currie’s ruling declared the indictment “invalid” by finding the appointment of Lindsey Halligan, the US District Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, “invalid.”
Patel revealed that the FBI’s upcoming report shows a significant 25% decrease in the murder rate nationwide, reaching the lowest level in decades.
“I am delighted to finally announce that one of our important goals this year – to reduce the nationwide murder rate – has apparently been achieved successfully,” Patel said. “The FBI will release murder rate data in December, with a double-digit decrease, setting a new record in modern history.”
According to data released by the Department of Justice in August, the murder rate in the US in 2024 was 5 per 100,000 people, a 15.8% decrease from the previous year but slightly higher by about 1% compared to 2015. The statistics show that in 2024, about 17,000 people died in murder cases in the US, a decrease of about 15% from the previous year but still an increase of nearly 7% compared to 2015.
The FBI has significantly enhanced its crackdown on the notorious “764 Network.” The group, named after the area code of its founding location in Texas, is involved in major crimes such as child abuse and animal cruelty, and its founder has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison.
Patel bluntly stated, “This should have been on the headlines every day because protecting children is one of our top priorities.”
“This year we have cracked down on these internet predators with full force, and these people are the worst of the worst,” Patel emphasized, highlighting the FBI’s vigorous efforts against the organization.
Patel also pointed out that as of 2025, the FBI has assisted in recovering 6,000 missing children, a 25% increase from the previous year.
In September, President Trump signed an executive order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. Patel stated that “President Trump’s move was crucial as it allowed the FBI to use investigation tools and authority against foreign terrorist organizations,” including tracking their funding chains and cross-border support activities.
He noted that the strengthened intelligence and operational capabilities enabled comprehensive investigations and focused on tracking funding chains. Patel stressed, “Through cooperation with the Treasury Department, we are following the flow of funds and mapping out the complete network,” and around twenty people have been arrested for providing material support to terrorist organizations.
More progress is expected in the coming months.
“I believe at the beginning of the new year, you will witness several highly just prosecutions and investigative actions,” Patel said.
Patel pointed out that the President and his administration have prioritized dismantling the fentanyl trafficking network. This year, the FBI has made significant progress in cutting off the fentanyl drug supply chain, successfully blocking the flow of 13 precursor chemicals and 7 other chemicals used in the production of lethal opioid drugs.
“After cutting off the supply chain, drug traffickers have been forced to look for alternative sources, and we are closely monitoring this trend. We have a clear understanding of their locations, identities, and operations,” he said.
Patel also revealed that the US has reached an agreement with Chinese officials to reduce some tariffs in exchange for restrictions on the export of precursors. He emphasized that if China violates the agreement, “they are well aware that the President will respond with severe tariffs and other measures.”
“We are taking overall government action to ensure their compliance with the agreement, and if they fail to comply, we will be the first to file charges,” Patel stated.
Patel emphasized that the US is committed to eradicating illegal foreign intelligence activities within its borders, resulting in a 40% increase in espionage arrest cases. “We are taking practical action to combat them, expel them from our networks, prosecute the individuals involved according to the law, and send them to prison,” he pointed out. Some of the suspects come from China, Russia, Iran, and have even infiltrated government and military systems.
One case involved a researcher at the University of Michigan who admitted in November to smuggling bioagents into the US. Patel said that these concrete results, which have had a significant impact, are more meaningful than mere investigative “files.”
Regarding media criticisms questioning the FBI’s security measures for his girlfriend, country music singer and songwriter Alexis Wilkins, Patel sternly refuted the reports, stating that his partner continues to face death threats, and providing necessary protection for officials’ partners is a reasonable and essential security measure.
He emphasized that the security deployments are independent decisions made by professional FBI agents based on risk assessment, and he did not intervene personally.
Regarding critics questioning his excessive use of FBI planes, Patel refuted the claims and pointed out that current regulations are designed to protect government officials.
“My frequency of using the plane is lower than the previous two directors… not to mention that I do not have the option to take commercial flights in the first place,” Patel emphasized.
According to regulations, all travels of FBI directors and officials (including personal trips) must be on government planes equipped with secure communication systems, but if the trips involve political or personal matters, the government must be reimbursed for related expenses.
Patel highlighted that he implemented reform measures to cut costs – and the behavior of his predecessor using Reagan National Airport was reportedly costing taxpayers up to $7,000 each time – estimating savings of around $4 million annually.
Patel confirmed that in July, the FBI discovered a room filled with “burn bags” containing thousands of classified documents related to the Russiagate investigation, including materials concerning operations codenamed “Arctic Frost” and “Crossfire Hurricane.”
These documents have not yet been made public, although Trump twice ordered the declassification of “Crossfire Hurricane” files, once in January 2021 and again in March of the same year.
“Whether through investigations, public trials, or congressional disclosures, the public will eventually see everything we found in that room in some form,” Patel said.
He criticized the long-standing deliberate concealment of sensitive materials by the federal government, saying, “When the government and related agencies want to make certain things disappear, bury, or hide, they know how to do it,” Patel pointed out, “But what they didn’t anticipate was President Trump’s election.”
Patel said, “The reason the American public is aware of the corruption, scandals, and illegal activities during the Russiagate period is because of the investigation work I initiated.”
He described the case as the “largest law enforcement weaponization and politicization action in American history,” specifically targeting a particular political party because the entrenched interests in Washington “didn’t want them to win.”
He stressed, “The American people not only have the right to accountability but also need system reforms to ensure that such events never happen again.”