The Confirmation of Kash Patel as FBI Director Marks a Turning Point

The Politicization of Federal Law Enforcement is Now Complete

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Kash Patel featured as a guest speaker at the ReAwaken Tour.

Kash Patel’s confirmation as Director of the FBI is not just another Trump-era power grab—it is a tremendous swing toward the complete politicization of federal law enforcement. This is the moment where the rule of law is officially subordinated to the will of an authoritarian movement.

I fear that very few Americans, including the 49 Senators who just voted against his nomination, truly understand the magnitude of the threat Patel poses to our constitutional rights and way of life.

To be clear, this isn’t to say that these Senators—or the millions of Americans like you who closely follow reputable news sources—aren't well aware of Patel’s history. His open threats against his perceived political enemies, his written and spoken promises to weaponize federal law enforcement, and his role in advancing Trump’s most dangerous authoritarian ambitions are well-documented. What I mean is that unless you’ve been in the room with Patel—while he's in his element, unscripted, and playing to an adoring crowd—unless you’ve seen firsthand how he whips his supporters into a hysterical frenzy, you cannot fully grasp the danger we now face.

That’s why I need to tell you about what I saw in Branson, Missouri.

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An Immersive Experience with Kash’s Cult in the ‘Vegas of the Ozarks’

The following account isn’t just drawn from memory—it’s backed by a 24-page intelligence report I compiled after attending the event, along with several hours of footage and over 400 still photos.

The weekend before the 2022 midterm elections, I traveled to Branson, Missouri, on an undercover mission to infiltrate the ReAwaken America Tour as a QAnon-radicalized veteran. This Christian nationalist roadshow, founded by serial grifters Clay Clark and Michael Flynn, is designed to radicalize MAGA diehards into believing they are on a mission from God in a literal war against demonic forces. It’s where former Trump officials, conspiracy theorists, and extremist preachers stand shoulder-to-shoulder, indoctrinating their audience with a singular message: Trump’s return to power is divinely ordained, and their enemies—Democrats, antifascists, journalists—must be crushed.

While researchers and journalists have extensively documented ReAwaken America, including livestreams of the main stage programming, what happens off-camera is even more disturbing. Watching from my office as part of my work in threat analysis was one thing—being there, embedded in the crowd, was something else entirely.

The livestreams boasted eight-hour days, but in reality, the programming was much longer. There were VIP meet-and-greets, private dinners, and after-hours cocktail events where attendees could rub shoulders with their heroes—Trump loyalists, QAnon influencers, and extremist operatives. These were the spaces where Flynn and Clark promised their followers access to “insider knowledge,” drawing them deeper into the movement.

Then there was the vendor tent—a marketplace of extremism where fringe personalities, many too obscure for mainstream media attention, operated as minor celebrities within this alternate reality. These figures, despite their relative anonymity to the outside world, wield enormous influence among their followers.

It was here that I met Michael Flynn Jr., son of the disgraced general, and one of the earliest amplifiers of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory—the claim that Hillary Clinton was trafficking children to harvest their blood. I hadn’t immediately recognized him when I reached out to shake his hand. He introduced himself by referring to his father as “General Flynn,” and we spoke for nearly an hour.

Flynn Jr. was aggrieved. He described his family as victims of a weaponized FBI, lamenting that even Trump’s team had abandoned him after he was fired for spreading conspiracy theories. But what stood out most wasn’t the content of his rant—it was the way he spoke. As he went on about the “deep state’s persecution” of his father and the necessity of building an army for Trump, I could see the occasional pause in his expression. He knew he was lying. He knew the contradictions in his own words. But none of that mattered. He was there for a purpose: to help his father recruit an army.

Inside the Mansion Theater for the Performing Arts, a 3,000-seat venue, Clark bragged from the stage that they had sold 1,000 more tickets than the venue could hold. A quarter of attendees were forced to linger in the vendor spaces at any given time—prey for the grifters.

This was the environment Kash Patel stepped into.

Kash Patel, Clay Clark, and Mike Flynn on stage at the Branson, Missouri ReAwaken Tour in November 2022. If memory serves me correctly, this was the exact moment when Clark half-jokingly said that he knew “Antifa” had infiltrated the event but that he would not be intimidated. Photo credit: Kris Goldsmith.

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Kash Patel’s Role in the ReAwaken America Tour: A Direct Link to Extremism

For over 28 hours across just two days, I sat in the audience as speaker after speaker raged against the so-called “deep state,” peddled election conspiracies, and framed American democracy as an obstacle to be overcome. But Kash Patel’s speech stood out—because he wasn’t just another grifter cashing in on MAGA paranoia. He was there as an operative who was still close to Trump, laying the groundwork for the very role he now occupies.

Patel took the stage with the likes of Michael Flynn, Mike Lindell, and a rotating cast of QAnon influencers, each reinforcing a singular narrative: the FBI and DOJ were not legitimate institutions but “government thugs” waging war on patriots. He told the crowd that these agencies had been “completely hijacked” by the left and needed to be dismantled and rebuilt under new leadership—people like him.

The audience was electrified—not just with anger, but with a sense of divine mission. The rhetoric at ReAwaken America was never just about politics; it was about salvation and war. Patel didn’t just frame Trump’s return to power as necessary—he presented it as inevitable, a moment of divine justice that the faithful must help bring about.

He told the crowd that the FBI was persecuting “good Americans,” and that once back in power, they would “fix it.” It wasn’t hard to understand what he meant. Standing on stage beside Flynn—a man openly building a movement that views democracy as an impediment to their Christian nationalist vision—Patel was making a promise: when the time came, federal law enforcement would no longer be used against Trump’s movement. It would be used for it.

Now, Patel has kept that promise. As Director of the FBI, he is positioned to transform federal law enforcement into an instrument of political retribution. The very people who filled that theater in Branson—those who believe they are warriors in a divine struggle—know they have an ally at the helm of one of the most powerful institutions in America.

This is institutional capture in real time.

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The over-packed 3,000-seat venue filled with MAGA conspiracy theorists joining in song as an extremist religious group performs on stage. Photo credit: Kris Goldsmith.

Christian Nationalism and Federal Law Enforcement Under Patel’s Leadership

After returning from Branson, I compiled a 24-page intelligence report detailing what I had witnessed: ReAwaken America isn’t just a rally—it’s a radicalization pipeline. It uses Christian nationalist rhetoric to prepare attendees for real-world action.

At the event, mass baptisms were held in the same space where speakers called for political violence. The crowd cheered as pastors prayed for military-style operations against people of different political beliefs, and self-proclaimed prophets declared that Trump’s return would be divinely ordained. There was no pretense of separating church from state. The message was clear: America belongs to them, and their enemies—Democrats, antifascists, journalists—must be purged.

Many of the speakers took this further, advocating for direct action. Pastor Greg Locke told the audience:

“Go to church and cause a ruckus. Fight back, punch back on Facebook. We are not in a war of words—we are in a war of action.”

Others made it even clearer. Jim Meehan, a veteran and proud member of the Oath Keepers, took the stage to deliver a PowerPoint presentation—a prophecy of war. He told the crowd to prepare for an impending conflict, warning that they should be hoarding food, water, medicine, and—above all—guns and ammo.

“We’re heading to World War III. Keep your guns. Get more guns. Invest in precious metals—and by precious metals, I mean brass and lead!”

As he finished, the crowd was on its feet, roaring in approval.

Jim Meehan telling a few thousand QAnon maniacs in Branson to stockpile weapons and prepare themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally to go to war with their fellow Americans.

This is the movement that Kash Patel has aligned himself with. This is the movement that now has a direct line to the highest levels of federal law enforcement.

Under Patel’s leadership, the FBI will be pressured not to investigate these networks—and to protect them. Patel has already demonstrated that he views Christian nationalist extremists not as threats, but as allies. His confirmation cements the reality that far-right paramilitary groups, militia movements, and religious extremists will operate with virtual impunity while federal resources are directed toward suppressing political opposition.

This is not speculation. His promises to pervert justice and his pledge of absolute loyalty to Trump above all else is precisely why Trump nominated him.

Many may dismiss as a silly, irrelevant distraction, Patel’s series of children’s books that feature him as a wizard who saves Trump, the almighty king. But to do so would be a mistake. Because Patel does truly see Trump as having monarchical powers over every one of us, and he believes it is his primary role to protect his king.

The implications of this cannot be overstated.

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The Institutional Capture of Federal Law Enforcement

Kash Patel’s confirmation as FBI Director marks a fundamental shift in the trajectory of federal law enforcement in the United States. This isn’t just about putting another Trump loyalist in a powerful position—it’s about turning the FBI into an instrument of political enforcement. Under Patel’s leadership, the Bureau will be instructed to prioritize the suppression of opposition, not the impartial application of justice.

During the Senate confirmation hearings, Patel’s appointment was met with fierce opposition from Democratic lawmakers, who cited his history of obstructing investigations, manipulating intelligence, and advancing Trump’s authoritarian ambitions. But Republicans, fully embracing their role in dismantling democratic norms, framed Patel’s leadership as a “necessary correction” to what they claim is the “Deep State’s” grip on law enforcement.

Senator Josh Hawley went so far as to extract a promise from Patel to investigate “anti-Christian” bias in law enforcement, saying that he would:

“[F]ully utilize, if confirmed, the investigative powers of the FBI to give [Hawley] the information [Hawley] require[s] and also to hold those accountable who violated the sacred trust placed upon the FBI.”

But accountability was never the goal. Control was.

In autocratic regimes, the first step in dismantling democracy isn’t always an outright coup—it’s seizing the institutions that enforce the law. By installing Patel at the helm of the FBI, Trump’s movement has neutralized one of the last remaining checks on its power. This is not an accident; it is a deliberate strategy, one that has played out in authoritarian takeovers throughout history.

Now, as FBI Director, Patel has the ability to ensure that future investigations into corruption, election interference, and abuses of power never even begin.

The law will no longer be applied to the powerful—it will be weaponized against their enemies.

This is the moment where Trump’s cronies have the power to bend federal law enforcement so that it ceases to function as an independent institution. It is now on its way to becoming an enforcement arm of an authoritarian project.

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Kash Patel’s Track Record of Subverting Institutional Integrity

Kash Patel’s rise to power has followed a clear pattern: he doesn’t just serve Trump—he subverts institutions from within to shield Trump and his allies from accountability. His confirmation as FBI Director is the culmination of years of work dismantling the guardrails of democracy.

Throughout his career, Patel has been a fixer—an operative willing to manipulate intelligence, obstruct investigations, and undermine oversight. His involvement in some of the most consequential national security scandals of the Trump era proves that his loyalty is not to the Constitution, but to the authoritarian project that now controls federal law enforcement.

Patel’s Career: A Blueprint for Corruption

• The Russia Investigation Cover-Up – As a House Intelligence Committee staffer under Devin Nunes, Patel played a leading role in discrediting the investigation into Russian election interference. He manipulated classified intelligence reports to paint Trump as a victim of a “deep state” conspiracy, weakening the U.S. government’s ability to respond to foreign threats.

• Obstructing Oversight – Patel’s career has been defined by sabotaging accountability. As Chief of Staff to the Acting Secretary of Defense in 2020, he blocked efforts to investigate Trump’s role in the January 6 insurrection, preventing critical information from reaching Congress and the public.

• Weaponizing Disinformation – Patel has consistently used his positions of power to spread conspiracy theories that serve Trump’s interests. Whether it was fabricating claims about election fraud, pushing false narratives about the DOJ, or amplifying QAnon-adjacent rhetoric, Patel’s goal has always been to justify a crackdown on Trump’s enemies.

Before his Senate confirmation, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy warned:

“If your plan is to destroy the rule of law and turn the Department of Justice into a political weapon that rewards loyalty and punishes dissent, then Kash Patel is the perfect person to lead the FBI, and that is likely exactly why he was chosen. [...] He has an enemies list. He thinks that people who helped elect Joe Biden are criminals. [...] Honestly, how on Earth are we going to let someone lead the world's most important, most revered law enforcement agency, who is secretly in business with the Chinese Communist Party, who believes that the FBI organized the invasion of the Capitol, who runs a fake charity, who has a brand in order to make money off of his affiliation with Donald Trump?”

Meanwhile, Republican Senator Mike Lee praised Patel for helping to “expose the lies of the intelligence community”—a clear signal that the GOP’s objective is to dismantle the very institutions responsible for checking executive power.

Patel’s confirmation is not just a dangerous appointment—it is a turning point. Under his leadership, the FBI will not investigate corruption within the administration. It will protect it.

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Parallel Trajectories—My Efforts to Combat the Very Forces Patel Has Empowered

Since 2017, my work has centered on exposing and countering the exact threats that Kash Patel has spent his career enabling. While he was using his government positions to manipulate intelligence, obstruct oversight, and protect extremists, I was tracking how those extremists were organizing, recruiting, and preparing for violence.

I’ve spent years infiltrating and investigating far-right networks, documenting how Trump-aligned operatives have deliberately targeted veterans as foot soldiers in their movement. I’ve worked to expose disinformation campaigns—both foreign and domestic—that weaponize social media to radicalize Americans. I’ve briefed policymakers, journalists, and law enforcement on the real and growing threat of authoritarian violence in the United States.

Now, all of that work is in jeopardy.

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How We Got Here: The Radicalization Pipeline

One of the earliest major investigations I conducted revealed how Russian operatives were masquerading as veterans’ advocacy groups online, using their credibility to spread pro-Trump disinformation. These were not random trolls—they were state-backed psychological operations designed to deepen political divisions and erode faith in democratic institutions.

At the same time, domestic extremist groups were using similar tactics. Organizations like the Three Percenters and Patriot Front were deliberately recruiting veterans, capitalizing on their military training and sense of duty. These groups pushed the narrative that the U.S. government was the enemy—that their oaths to the Constitution required them to prepare for war against a corrupt regime.

These weren’t just fringe ideas. They were being mainstreamed by Trump’s closest allies—people like Michael Flynn, Steve Bannon, and Kash Patel.

Through undercover work and intelligence gathering, I documented how the post-January 6 insurrectionist movement evolved. The paramilitary groups that attacked the Capitol didn’t go away—they adapted, burrowing deeper into local politics, law enforcement, and veterans’ organizations. My work has helped reveal these shifts, exposing how violent actors are still organizing and growing.

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Kash Patel during his confirmation hearing.

The Stakes Under Patel’s FBI

For years, I have worked alongside patriotic, self-taught investigators and researchers to provide law enforcement with intelligence on these threats. I have watched as dedicated FBI agents and counterterrorism officials have attempted—often against political resistance—to address the rising danger of far-right violence.

Under Patel, I will attempt to continue my work and cooperation with law enforcement.

But I worry that Patel in charge, the FBI will be forced not just ignore these threats—but to actively protect and enable them.

This is not just a policy shift. It is the attempted complete reversal of federal law enforcement’s role in protecting democracy. Patel has spent years dismantling oversight mechanisms—now he will ensure that accountability itself is a thing of the past.

For those of us who have been fighting these threats for years, Patel’s confirmation changes everything. The work continues—but now, we must operate under the assumption that the FBI is no longer an ally in defending democracy. It has become a tool of those who seek to destroy it.

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What to Expect in the Coming Months

1. The FBI Will Be Used to Target Political Opponents

• Whistleblowers, journalists, and activists who expose corruption will face intensified surveillance, legal harassment, and politically motivated prosecutions.

• Patel has already signaled his intent to "go after the deep state", meaning the FBI’s vast investigative resources will now be redirected toward dismantling what remains of institutional resistance to Trump and Musk’s campaign of corruption.

• Federal agents will be pressured to fabricate or amplify cases against Trump’s critics while ignoring crimes committed by his allies.

2. Christian Nationalist Extremists Will Operate With Impunity

• Investigations into white nationalist militias and far-right paramilitary groups will be deprioritized or abandoned altogether.

• Christian nationalist leaders who incite violence—whether from pulpits, rallies, or online—will no longer fear federal intervention.

• Local and state law enforcement, already infiltrated by extremists, will take their cues from Patel’s FBI, further emboldening violent actors.

3. Election Subversion Will Become a Federal Priority

• Patel will use federal law enforcement to intimidate election officials who refuse to comply with Trump’s agenda.

• Voter intimidation efforts will escalate, with Trump-aligned operatives knowing that the FBI will look the other way or actively assist.

• State legislatures aligned with Trump will push for new voting restrictions, and any legal challenges will be met with FBI interference favoring authoritarian interests.

4. The Criminalization of Dissent

• Social justice organizations, pro-democracy groups, and antifascist activists will be framed as domestic terrorists.

• Surveillance programs will be redirected to monitor and suppress left-wing organizing efforts.

• Legal precedent will be set to criminalize opposition, creating a permanent justification for the suppression of political enemies.

This is not speculative. We have already seen the groundwork laid for this escalation—Patel’s confirmation just makes it official.

Preparing for the Fight Ahead

The confirmation of Kash Patel is not the end of the story—it is the beginning of a new chapter in the fight to defend democracy. The institutions we once relied on to uphold the rule of law are now being repurposed to serve an authoritarian agenda. That means we can no longer afford to think of federal law enforcement as an ally in this fight. We must adjust our strategies accordingly.

Here’s what we must do now:

1. Document Everything

• Independent journalists, researchers, and civil rights organizations must meticulously track Patel’s actions within the FBI, exposing abuses of power in real time.

• Whistleblowers within law enforcement need protection and platforms to share what they know.

• Every politically motivated investigation, every instance of suppression, every abuse of FBI resources must be documented and publicized before it disappears into secrecy.

2. Protect Vulnerable Communities

• Community-based security efforts must be strengthened to counteract threats from emboldened far-right actors.

  • See Veterans Fighting Fascism’s Antifascist Book Club page (guides soon to be posted), and Task Force Butler’s Community Response Guide and Street Teams Guide.

• Those most likely to be targeted—activists, journalists, and marginalized communities—need legal, digital, and physical security resources.

• Organizations that once relied on federal agencies to intervene against extremist violence must develop independent safety networks in preparation for the FBI turning a blind eye—or worse, assisting in repression.

3. Demand Congressional Oversight

• We must pressure lawmakers to investigate Patel’s use of federal law enforcement to target political opponents and suppress investigations into MAGA extremism.

  • Don’t give up on your Senator or Representative, regardless of their party. They need to hear from you often. Your opinion matters! Use 5calls.org to learn how easy it is to call your elected representatives.

• The House and Senate must hold hearings, demand transparency, and block efforts to expand Patel’s power—even if that means grinding government business to a halt.

• State attorneys general must fill the gap left by the FBI’s inaction, launching independent investigations into white nationalist groups and election subversion efforts.

4. Mobilize Against Christian Nationalist Influence in Government

• The theocratic movement backing Patel’s rise is not just about Trump—it is about fundamentally restructuring American democracy along religious authoritarian lines.

• Groups working to separate church and state must be supported, especially at the local level, where Christian nationalist infiltration is the deepest.

• The courts must be pressured to challenge unconstitutional abuses of power—before Patel’s FBI is used to criminalize opposition wholesale.

5. Organize for the Long-Term Fight

• This is not a short-term crisis. Patel’s confirmation is part of a broader authoritarian consolidation of power that will require sustained resistance beyond the next election.

  • Veterans, labor unions, civil rights groups, and democracy advocates must build coalitions focused on direct action, refusing to cede ground to a federal law enforcement system that has been hijacked.

• We must recognize that no savior is coming—no institution will protect us unless we force accountability through mass mobilization and pressure.

This Is Our Inflection Point

The infrastructure of an authoritarian state is being assembled in real time. Patel’s confirmation is a critical piece of that puzzle—but it is not the final move. The question is not whether we recognize the threat. The question is how are we willing to go on offense against it.