The Senate confirmed Kash Patel as the director of FBI on Thursday. On Friday, Patel was sworn in standing alongside his girlfriend and family.
Despite being one of the more controversial picks for President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, receiving some resistance from Republicans, Patel managed to secure his appointment.
In a statement on X, Patel acknowledged FBI’s legacy — “from the ‘G-Men’ to safeguarding our nation in the wake of 9/11.”
“The American people deserve an FBI that is transparent, accountable, and committed to justice. The politicalization of our justice system has eroded public trust — but that ends today,“ said Patel. ”My mission as Director is clear: let good cops be cops—and rebuild trust in the FBI.”
The Senate voted 51-49, mostly along party lines, with the exception of Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Utah’s Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis voted in favor of Patel.
Lee was rallying support for Patel in the minutes, days and weeks ahead of the final vote.
“I want to add my dismay and my disgust for the fact that you’ve been smeared, you’ve been attacked, you’ve been associated with racism, with being a Nazi,” Lee said in defense of Patel during his confirmation hearing on Jan. 30. “You are none of those things.”
Curtis wasn’t as vocal about his support, and promised to vet each nomination independently, including Patel’s.
“My primary concern with his nomination was ensuring he would approach the role without political bias — an essential quality for any FBI Director,” he said in a post prior to the vote. “After careful consideration, I plan to vote yes on his confirmation.”
Trump has racked up at least 18 confirmed Cabinet members, tying, if not surpassing, the efficiency seen during former President Barack Obama’s first term, as Axios reported earlier this week.
Patel joins the list of nominees who endured an uphill battle before finally getting confirmed. They include Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services, Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Other confirmed appointees include:
- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
- Russell T. Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi.
- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
- Scott Turner, the Housing and Urban Development secretary.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- Kelly Loeffler, confirmed to lead the Small Business Administration on Thursday.
A handful of nominees have yet to face their final Senate vote. Here’s a list of the remaining nominees:
Education secretary
Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon is Trump’s pick to lead the Education Department. McMahon has advocated for reducing the scope of the 45-year-old education agency.
“I am really all for the president’s mission — which is to return education to the states,” said McMahon during her confirmation hearing in mid-February, as the Deseret News reported. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee advanced her nomination Thursday in a 12-11 vote along party lines.
U.S. trade representative
Jamieson Greer, who formerly served as chief of staff for trade representative Robert Lighthizer, is Trump’s pick to help implement his agenda on trade.
He defended the Trump White House’s use of tariffs as a means to negotiate with foreign countries, including longtime allies like Canada and Mexico.
Should he be confirmed, Greer, a lawyer and a Brigham Young University graduate, will step into one of the most high stakes positions in the Trump administration, as the Deseret News previously reported. His nomination advanced past the Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 12 in a 15-12 vote, with a final vote expected as soon as next week.
Labor secretary
Former Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer appeared at her hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee earlier this week.
“I believe that the president nominated me to bring my experience not only as a mayor, not as a business owner, but because I did garner labor support,” Chavez-DeRemer said, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle. “The president and I align in this issue.”
U.N. ambassador
The Senate is slow-walking the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik for the role of ambassador to the U.N, as NBC News reported. It’s because with Stefanik in office, Republicans have a three-vote margin over Democrats and there are no guarantees the GOP will hold onto this seat.