On the morning of January 5, FBI Director Kash Patel was a guest on the popular talk show, Fox & Friends. The purpose of his appearance was to laud the Trump administration for their operation in Venezuela. However, the broadcast was plagued by audio problems, causing an interruption in the live interview.
Brian Kilmeade, a co-host of the show, was introducing Patel when the director’s face went from being well lit to completely dark. A woman’s voice interjected amidst Kilmeade’s first question, “Guys, you cannot be adjusting his light!” A man’s voice was also audible in the background, though his words were unclear.
The audio glitch occurred while the Fox & Friends crew was discussing the joint operation between the military and law enforcement that led to the transportation of captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro through New York City, New York streets. This happened just a few hours after Maduro’s apprehension in Caracas, Venezuela.
Despite the distracting noises, Patel began to discuss the involvement of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group in moving Maduro through the city. As he was speaking, Fox News displayed B-roll footage of a helicopter transporting the deposed leader. Throughout his praise for the Trump administration’s Venezuela operation and the commendation of those who assisted, the background chatter continued, though it was less distinct. “This operation shows what American law enforcement can accomplish when given clear direction,” Patel said during the interview.
The audio glitch was promptly fixed, Patel’s lighting was corrected, and the interview carried on without any further disruptions.
Patel’s appearance on the morning show comes amid growing criticism of his leadership of the FBI. A recent 115-page report, compiled by a national alliance of both retired and active-duty FBI special agents and analysts, described Patel’s FBI as being “internally paralyzed by fear.” This report, based on confidential statements from 24 FBI sources, depicted the agency as a “rudderless ship.”
The report criticized Patel for his lack of experience necessary to lead the FBI and depicted managers who were hesitant to act without explicit direction due to fear of losing their jobs. Several independent sources characterized Patel as being overwhelmed, with one stating he lacks the necessary knowledge or understanding of the FBI’s unique and complex investigative programs.
Since before his nomination, Patel’s tenure has been controversial. One such controversy arose when he faced backlash for prematurely announcing an arrest that was later rescinded.
Patel’s handling of a recent shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island has drawn particular criticism. In this incident, two people were killed and nine others were injured. Patel announced on social media that a person of interest was detained in Coventry, Rhode Island, on a tip from Providence police. However, local authorities released the individual a few hours after Patel’s announcement, stating there was no reason to keep them in custody.
This premature announcement mirrored a similar incident involving conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Patel had announced on social media that a suspect was in custody for a shooting incident in Provo, Utah, only to have local officials contradict his statement immediately.
Further complicating matters, 12 former FBI agents filed a lawsuit on December 8, 2025, against Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the Department of Justice. The agents alleged they were unlawfully terminated for kneeling during protests in Washington, DC on June 4, 2020, following the killing of George Floyd. The lawsuit claims the agents were fired based on the perception that they did not support President Trump.
Patel, who served in Trump’s first term, has been a familiar figure in conservative media circles.
A report from December 1, 2025, compiled by retired and active-duty FBI personnel, noted that while some sources praised Patel’s rollback of diversity and equity initiatives and his immigration enforcement operations, the overall feedback was largely negative.