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First on FOX: Kash Patel, now the FBI director, works hard to get the Senate support he needs to confirm, studying lawmakers, and sitting at countless meetings, Mike Lee, R-Utah, Ted We are seeking support from Cruz, R-. Texas, to prepare for his hearing, Fox News Digital learned.
Patel met with 61 senators to take on the role President Donald Trump has appointed him, transition officials told Fox News Digital.
They pointed out that this is important for a position not even in the president’s cabinet.
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The confirmation of Kash Patel was the result of important long-term efforts to gain the support of the Senators. (Reuters)
“He studied what’s important to the FBI and everyone at these meetings,” they said.
“You can touch and feel the FBI offices in almost every state.”
Notable Republicans Lee and Cruz were part of a “Murder Committee” session that criticized and questioned Patel before his hearing. There were about ten such meetings to prepare him.
“We were delighted to be able to support Director Patel through the confirmation process as President Trump chose a man of great integrity and dedication to lead the FBI. Digital in the statement.
According to familiar sources, the session consisted of a series of round-robin questions regarding hot button issues. He was asked about recent memories, particularly some of the FBI controversies between former FBI officials Peter Struzock and Lisa Page.
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Kash Patel is sworn in as FBI Director of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondy, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington on February 21, 2025 (Reuters/Lea Miliss)
They also baked Patel in turn in groups of individuals listed in the 2023 book. Democrats called it a “list of enemies,” and that nominees at the time denied.
The enthusiasm was evident at Patel’s nomination, according to the transition officer.
“We have a Senator executive who knew Kash before he was nominated,” they said.
He was confirmed last week with a narrow margin of 51-49. This surprised his team as both R-Maine’s Senator Susan Collins and R-Alaska’s Lisa Murkovsky actually expected him to have an advantage in his nomination.
During a meeting with Collins, a familiar source told Fox News Digital that Patel was re-elected in 2026, referring to the fact that she is Maine’s only elected Republican in Congress. He spoke. She was in a position where she couldn’t vote for him.
Collins’ office did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for public release.
According to the transition official, Patel’s meeting with both Collins and Markowski was good.
“Kasch and Lisa had a lot of conversations and a lot of conversation,” they explained.
She didn’t vote for him, but the Alaskan Republican called out Patel in the time to reach the vote, giving him a heads-up that she couldn’t support him.
Another important vote was that of former Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). He is the National Intelligence Director for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and after opposing Defense Secretary Tarsi Gabbard, he chose to support Patel.
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McConnell shocked some when he supported Patel. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Trump’s team led Patel throughout the process. They were strategically working behind the door that closed their support for McConnell.
Before Christmas, then Nommy had already had 40 meetings with the senators. This was intentional. They wanted to talk to each other with the senators, the source said.
This early conference Blitz was specially designed to lay the foundation for the final discussion with McConnell, Murkowski and Collins.
When the McConnell meeting came on, it seemed the strategy worked. McConnell also seemed particularly interested in Patel’s plan to increase transparency.
Another important victory for the FBI Director now was Sen. Tom Tillis (RN.C.) in his corner. The senator previously hesitated to confirm Hegses and waited until the very end to announce his support.
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Tillis on the left was one of Patel’s most vocal supporters. (Getty Images)
It was the opinion of South Carolina Republican lawmakers and current Fox News weekend Trey Gordy that he really sold Tillis by supporting relatively unfamiliar Patel. Patel and Gowdy worked with each other when the former was a staff member of former Republican Rep. Devin Nunes. The two were part of examining the FBI’s investigation into potential Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Gowdy spoke with Fox News Digital and shared that he received a call from the “maybe dozen” Senator about his experience with Patel. He said he was happy to share his views, but each encouraged him to meet with the candidates themselves, rather than taking his words.
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Tillis quickly became one of Patel’s biggest supporters and gave him advice when he met with other lawmakers.
North Carolina Republicans introduced Patel for a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee and also created a “k$h bingo” game that includes subjects Democrats expected to raise during the hearing. This sheet included subjects such as “Deep State”, “Antique List”, and Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Report Monitoring Act.
Julia Johnson is a political writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business and is a major reporter in the US Senate. She was previously a political reporter for the Washington Examiner.
Follow Julia’s report on X @juliaajohnson_ Submit your tip to julia.johnson@fox.com.
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