FBI Director Kash Patel will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, where Democrats intend to question him about personal travel expenses and allegations tied to the 2020 election inquiry. Republicans, with committee chair Senator Chuck Grassley leading, are likely to center their focus on the FBI’s broader examination of attempts to overturn that election.
The hearing comes after Joe DiGenova abruptly resigned from his role overseeing a separate investigation into alleged criminal plots targeting former President Trump. Lawmakers may ask Patel about the circumstances surrounding DiGenova’s departure and its potential effects on active cases.
Patel’s appearance marks his first Senate testimony since May, when Democrats pressed him over media accounts suggesting heavy drinking had impaired his judgment. He dismissed the reports, pointing instead to a nationwide decline in violent crime—a trend that began before Trump’s second term. Grassley has also raised concerns about Patel’s use of government resources, including official aircraft and luxury vehicles, as detailed in a May letter.
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Opponents have noted Patel’s public engagements with Trump, including a joint initiative with China and Russia to address transnational crime, a collaboration some believe could compromise U.S. security interests. Earlier controversies involved reports of him scuba diving near a Pearl Harbor memorial and consuming alcohol with the U.S. Olympic hockey team during the Milan Winter Olympics.
Lawmakers may also question Patel about the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, following the release of internal messages showing him instructing a senior aide to address mocking social media comments about the case. The session will add to the ongoing scrutiny Patel has faced since assuming his position.