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Kash Patel faces flak for podcast with girlfriend amid Brown shooting manhunt
The timing of the podcast promotion triggered sharp political and public backlash, with critics questioning the FBI director’s priorities during an active investigation.
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Malvika Choudhary - Tue, 16, Dec 2025
- 14:22 EST
- 33
Kash Patel and his girlfriend / Screengrab from teaser of the podcast/ X (@KatieMiller)
FBI Director Kash Patel has come under criticism following the release of a podcast teaser episode featuring his girlfriend, which coincided with an active manhunt for the suspect in the Brown University shooting.
The episode, promoted on social media with questions about the couple’s relationship,was released just hours after a gunman killed two students and seriously injured nine others on the Brown University campus over the weekend.
Also Read: Trump backs Kash Patel after report that he considered ousting the FBI director
The timing of the promotion triggered sharp political and public backlash, with critics questioning the FBI director’s priorities during an active investigation.
The office of California Governor Gavin Newsom criticised Patel in a post on X, saying, “There’s a mass shooter still on the loose while Keystone Kash’s defunded FBI can’t catch him. But good to know he’s got time to hop on a taxpayer-funded private jet to record a podcast with his girlfriend.”
There’s a mass shooter still on the loose while Keystone Kash’s defunded FBI can’t catch him.
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) December 16, 2025
But good to know he’s got time to hop on a taxpayer-funded private jet to record a podcast with his girlfriend. https://t.co/Cwey30M0g9
Further criticism followed after a promotional post billed the episode as “The love story” of Patel and Wilkins, teasing personal questions about their relationship and announcing a release time.
On X, several users accused Patel of focusing on personal media appearances while law enforcement agencies were searching for the suspect.
“Kash Patel is doing podcasts with his girlfriend while there’s a mass murderer on the loose in Rhode Island,” one widely shared post read. Another described the episode’s release as “complete incompetence” and called for Patel’s removal from office.
Others argued that even if the podcast had been recorded earlier, releasing promotional material during an ongoing crisis reflected poor judgment. “Who knows when this was recorded, but it is insane to release a podcast with your girlfriend while your agency is still out looking for the Brown University shooter,” one user wrote.
A stream of similar reactions continued to circulate, with critics mocking Patel’s leadership and reviving calls for his dismissal. Several comments included profanity and personal insults directed at the FBI director.
As of Dec. 16, the shooter remained at large, with investigators saying there were no clear indications that the probe had narrowed in on a specific suspect. The FBI announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the attacker.
The controversy has also renewed scrutiny of Patel’s relationship with Wilkins, which has been a recurring subject of online criticism in recent months.
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