A stunned Washington froze as a 115-page leaked report from current and retired FBI agents branded Director Kash Patel “in over his head,” leading a “rudderless ship” paralyzed by fear and plummeting morale.
The document, circulated anonymously among congressional staff and leaked to The Washington Post on December 23, 2025, painted a damning portrait of the FBI under Patel—appointed by President Trump in February 2025 amid controversy over his lack of law enforcement experience. Signed by over 40 agents (identities redacted), it described “chaotic leadership,” “politically driven purges,” and “fear of retaliation” stifling investigations.
Key claims: morale at “historic lows” (anonymous surveys cited 68% considering resignation), stalled counterterrorism cases due to “loyalty tests,” and resources diverted to “personal vendettas” against Trump critics. One passage: “Patel is in over his head—prioritizing optics over operations, leaving a rudderless ship adrift.”
Patel dismissed it as “fake news from disgruntled deep-staters,” vowing “clean house.” The White House called it “partisan sabotage.” Democrats demanded hearings; some Republicans expressed private concern.
The leak, amid Epstein Files Transparency Act fallout and agency turmoil, amplified distrust: an FBI—once stoic—now portrayed as fractured. As Christmas loomed, the report’s chill lingered: leadership’s cost, morale’s collapse, America’s premier agency in crisis.
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