FBI Shake-Up: Director Kash Patel Purges Top Agents Tied to Trump Investigations — What’s Next?

FBI Director Kash Patel is facing sharp criticism from gun-rights advocates and some Republican allies after asserting that Minnesotans “cannot bring a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines to any sort of protest.” Patel echoed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a round of Sunday-show interviews that followed the fatal Border Patrol shooting of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti, an incident already roiling public opinion on federal immigration enforcement. Minnesota law does not prohibit permitted gun owners from carrying loaded weapons at demonstrations, and the state’s Gun Owners Caucus quickly labeled Patel’s remarks “completely incorrect.” Video from the protest shows Pretti filming officers with a smartphone; his holstered pistol was discovered only after he was forced to the ground, according to multiple angles posted online. WHY IT MATTERS • Second-Amendment backlash: Conservative influencers and local gun groups say Patel’s comments undermine Republican messaging on gun rights just months before crucial mid-term primaries. • Credibility squeeze: The Trump administration is already battling falling immigration-approval numbers after a series of aggressive enforcement videos; Patel’s legal misstatement hands critics new ammunition. • Internal friction: Patel has spent his first year at the bureau purging senior officials tied to earlier Trump investigations, moves that have drawn praise from MAGA loyalists but widened rifts inside the FBI. REACTION ON THE RIGHT Fox commentator Mary Katharine Ham blasted Noem and Patel for “saying something they can’t know—or that is a lie,” while Minnesota GOP lawmakers privately warned the White House the flap could depress turnout in the Twin Cities suburbs. Gun-rights attorney Rob Doar said Patel’s statement “fundamentally misreads state statute,” noting that open or concealed carry at rallies is legal with a permit. DEMOCRATS POUNCE House Oversight Committee Democrats requested an Inspector-General review of Patel’s public statements, arguing they may have prejudiced ongoing federal investigations into the Pretti shooting. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) called Patel’s comments “part of a dangerous pattern of misinformation designed to chill lawful protest.” WHAT’S NEXT • The FBI press office says Patel “was speaking to practical safety concerns,” but insiders expect a clarifying memo on protest guidelines within days. • Gun Owners Caucus volunteers plan a “Carry & Rally” demonstration outside the Minneapolis field office this Saturday. • Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin signaled hearings on federal use-of-force incidents could begin as early as February, guaranteeing Patel more time in the spotlight. BOTTOM LINE Kash Patel rocketed to conservative stardom by pledging to overhaul what he calls the “Deep State.” Now, a single sentence about Minnesota gun law has put him on the defensive with the very constituency that once cheered his rise—and ensured that the name “Kash Patel” will keep trending in the days ahead.