Why FBI Officials Are Worried About the Midterms

Subscribe here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Overcast | Pocket Casts The word that the Atlantic staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick hears often from her FBI sources is desperate , meaning that they believe FBI Director Kash Patel is desperate to please President Trump.

What Trump wants, sources from the agency and the Justice Department concluded, is proof that he actually won the 2020 presidential election and punishment for those he believes conspired to deny him victory.

Sources told Fitzpatrick that nervous agents have sought counsel in recent weeks about how to respond to FBI directives related to the midterms.

Fitzpatrick has published a series of revelations about the FBI under Patel’s leadership.

In April, she reported that Patel had “alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.” Patel called the story a “lie” and filed a $250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic .

On Radio Atlantic , she discusses what agents and other sources are telling her about how the mission of the FBI has changed, how resources have been diverted to exploration of long-debunked election-conspiracy theories, and what most worries them about this moment.

The FBI has responded to Fitzpatrick’s reporting by calling it “false” and stating that the FBI is “united.” The following is a transcript of the episode: Hanna Rosin: “Is There Anything Kash Patel Won’t Do for Trump Before the Midterms?” That’s the title of a recent story by staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick , who covers the FBI.

She spoke to FBI agents and other sources who told her that Patel is, quote, “desperate” to help the president get what he wants, which one source told her was indictments, people in handcuffs.

I’m Hanna Rosin.

This is Radio Atlantic .

Over the last few months, The Atlantic , and Sarah Fitzpatrick in particular, has published a series of revelations about Kash Patel’s leadership at the FBI.

Back in April, Sarah reported that Patel had alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences, a story that got a lot of attention.

Patel called the story a lie, and he filed a $250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic .

Sarah is joining us today to discuss her reporting on the FBI and the midterms.