International: Donald Trump is all set to return to the White House for a second term following a historic victory in the 2024 US presidential election, defeating his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris. Following his presidential election victory, Trump will start the process of choosing a cabinet and selecting other high-ranking administration officials in the coming weeks.  

Some of the top contenders for key posts are staunch Trump allies Jamie Dimon, Scott Bessent Susie Wiles, John Paulson and Kash Patel among other potential candidates. Indian-origin Trump loyalist Patel's name is being floated as a choice for Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director.

A former Republican House staffer who served in various high-ranking staff roles in the defense and intelligence communities during Trump's first term, Patel has frequently appeared on the campaign trail to rally support for the candidate.

Who is Kash Patel?

Kashyap Pramod Patel, also known as Kash Patel, was born in New York on February 25, 1980, to Indian immigrant parents from East Africa. Patel has roots in Vadodara, Gujarat. He has served as the former Chief of Staff to Acting Secretary of Defence Christopher Miller.

Patel completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Richmond and earned a law degree, along with a Certificate in International Law from University College London Faculty of Laws in the United Kingdom. After graduating from law school, Patel failed to get a job at the prestigious law firms he had hoped to join. So, Patel began his career as a public defender in local and federal courts in Miami handling complex cases including murder, narco-trafficking, and financial crimes.

Justice Department, National Security Council, other roles

After working for nine years as a public defender, Patel joined the Department of Justice as a terrorism prosecutor, where he led investigations spanning multiple theaters of conflict and oversaw the successful prosecution of criminals aligned with Al-Qa’ida, ISIS, and other terror groups. He also served as the Justice Department’s Liaison Officer to the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), collaborating on global counterterrorism operations.

Patel served as the National Security Advisor and Senior Counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), where he spearheaded the investigation into the Russian active measures campaign to influence the 2016 presidential election. He also served as Principal Deputy to the Acting Director of National Intelligence, where he oversaw the operations of all 17 intelligence community agencies and provided the President’s Daily Briefing.

Patel served as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism (CT) at the National Security Council (NSC). He oversaw the execution of several of President Donald Trump’s top priorities, including eliminating ISIS and Al-Qa’ida leadership such as al-Baghdadi and Qasem al-Rimi, and the safe repatriation of numerous American hostages. 

Nunes Memo

Patel was hired as a staffer for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence led by Rep. Devin Nunes, a fierce Trump ally. Nunes gave Patel a job running the committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign.

Patel helped author what has become known as the 'Nunes Memo,' a four-page report that detailed how it said the Justice Department had erred in obtaining a warrant to surveil a former Trump campaign volunteer. The memo’s release faced vehement opposition from the Justice Department. A subsequent inspector general report identified significant problems with FBI surveillance during the Russia investigation, but also found no evidence that the FBI had acted with partisan motives in conducting the probe.

Patel has leaned into controversy throughout his career. In an interview with Trump ally Steve Bannon last year, he promised to "come after" politicians and journalists perceived to be enemies of the president-elect. During Trump's first term, Patel drew animosity from some more experienced national security officials, who saw him as volatile and too eager to please the then-president.