Senator Adam Schiff took the unusual step this week of visiting the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. to publicly express his disapproval of President Donald Trump’s selection of Kash Patel as the bureau’s new director—a decision confirmed by the full Senate just hours later.
Accompanied by roughly a half-dozen fellow Democrats, Schiff’s appearance outside the FBI building was a dramatic protest that quickly attracted media attention. In interviews with reporters near the building, the California lawmaker lambasted Patel’s appointment. “This is someone we cannot trust,” Schiff declared. “This is someone who lacks the character to do this job, someone who lacks the integrity to do this job.” His remarks underscored a deep-seated skepticism about Patel’s qualifications and the political motivations behind his selection.
Schiff’s public criticism has not gone unnoticed by political commentators and critics alike. Many observers have noted that Schiff’s actions are a highly political move, one that appears intended to highlight his opposition to the Trump administration’s policies. Among those commenting on the event was Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, who took to social media to assert that Schiff’s protest was not only hypocritical but also self-damaging. Kirk’s tweet read, “Adam Schiff is the worst criminal in Congress in the last 250 years,” adding that Schiff’s actions revealed a desperation born of fear—fear that Patel, who played a role in debunking the ‘Trump-Russia collusion’ narrative, might expose Schiff’s own involvement in the Russiagate controversy.
Critics have also pointed out that Schiff’s high-profile demonstration outside the FBI headquarters is especially ironic given that the senator is reportedly the beneficiary of a pre-emptive pardon from former President Joe Biden. This pardon, some allege, was issued to shield Schiff from scrutiny over potentially criminal activities during his tenure in Congress. These allegations, coupled with his recent protest, have fueled a narrative that Schiff’s political maneuvers are designed more to deflect attention from his past than to genuinely protect national security interests.
