Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel faced intense scrutiny during a Senate hearing focused on the agency’s budget, addressing questions related to allegations about his personal conduct, internal investigations into leaks, and recent personnel changes within the bureau.

The hearing, held on May 13, became contentious early on when Senator Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.) confronted Patel about a recent article in The Atlantic, which reported concerns from government officials about Patel’s alleged excessive drinking and its potential impact on public safety. Patel has denied the claims, describing them as “unequivocally, categorically false,” and has filed a defamation lawsuit against the publication, which stands by its reporting.

During the exchange, Patel challenged Van Hollen by referencing criticisms of the senator’s conduct during a trip to El Salvador the previous year, in which Van Hollen visited Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran man who had been mistakenly deported from Maryland. The two lawmakers spoke over each other during the tense conversation, with Van Hollen emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations and Patel branding them as baseless and hypocritical.

Beyond the personal accusations, lawmakers pressed Patel on the FBI’s internal response to recent leaks portraying him unfavorably. According to sources familiar with the matter, Patel has mandated polygraph examinations for employees suspected of disclosing damaging information about him. Senator Patty Murray (D., Wash.) questioned whether investigators had targeted journalists in efforts to identify leak sources. Patel responded firmly, stating, “I can tell you unequivocally that this FBI is targeting and investigating no journalists.”

The hearing also spotlighted significant personnel shifts within the FBI under Patel’s leadership. Numerous employees, including those with extensive expertise in counterterrorism and counterintelligence, have been dismissed or reassigned. Some dismissed agents specialized in countering threats linked to Iran. While Patel denied that these firings compromised national security, he did not provide detailed explanations for the personnel changes.

The inquiry highlighted growing concerns among lawmakers about the direction of leadership and operational priorities at the FBI, as well as the broader implications of the agency’s internal management amid heightened political scrutiny.