Trump backs Patel amid MAGA divide over FBI director

President Trump is rallying behind Kash Patel as Trump's MAGA base fractures over the FBI chief's handling of the investigation into Charlie Kirk's assassination.Why it matters: Trump's support is crucial for any administration official hoping to keep their job — and the president's backing has been enough to satisfy some MAGA backers, despite Patel's missteps early in the Kirk investigation.But others in the MAGA movement were alarmed by Patel's social media announcement hours after the shooting that a "subject" was "in custody," only to have investigators release that person. That led some in MAGA to question whether Patel was capable of leading the Kirk investigation, much less the crackdowns on political violence the movement desires.What they're saying: Patel "performed terribly in the last few days, and it's not clear whether he has the operational expertise to investigate, infiltrate, and disrupt the violent movements — of whatever ideology — that threaten the peace in the United States," right-wing writer Christopher Rufo wrote on X.Trump expressed support for Patel after the FBI director's too-early post led critics to accuse Patel of being too interested in announcing developments in the case on social media."I am very proud of the FBI," Trump told Fox News Digital Saturday. "Kash — and everyone else — they have done a great job.""Kash's job is safe. The president is happy," a senior administration official told Axios on Sunday.Zoom in: Some MAGA voices also came to Patel's defense, noting that the suspected shooter in Kirk's slaying, Tyler Robinson, was caught within 48 hours. Others praised his appearance on Fox News Monday morning as a win for a base that has long lamented a supposed lack of transparency from America's premier law enforcement agency.During that appearance Patel revealed details about forensic evidence in the case — another unusual move for an official at the FBI, which typically is tight-lipped about releasing such information to avoid potentially complicating an investigation or a subsequent trial."@FBIDirectorKash's org helped catch the killer in <48 hours," conservative commentator Kurt Schlichter said on X."[H]ow refreshing for a transparent FBI," added Catturd, an anonymous but popular MAGA account.Many in MAGA, though, hadn't seen enough to alleviate their concerns.They noted he fumbled when discussing Kirk, a devout Christian, during a press conference in Utah by telling the late activist, "I'll see you in Valhalla," a Norse afterlife that requires death on the battlefield for entry."So cringe. You're the FBI director, not some kid who reads comic books," one administration official told Axios.The FBI declined to comment, but Patel defended his initial X post during his Fox News appearance Monday: "I was telling the world what the FBI was doing as we were doing, and I'm continuing to do that."Zoom out: It's not just Patel's specific stumbles that have irked parts of MAGA. The movement views itself as waging a societal battle against powerful liberal forces, and Kirk's assassination deepened the sense that the right is under siege.Some MAGA leaders said Patel will have to crack down on "leftist" groups — including labeling them terrorist organizations — to regain any lost trust."The base is not happy," MAGA thought leader Steve Bannon told Axios on Friday. "They need to see action, action, action, and not coming up for press conferences and just [praising] the law enforcement partnerships. People are not interested."Between the lines: Patel was a prominent MAGA influencer before joining the FBI, and his online persona has seeped through at times in ways that hobbled him in his new role.Before he led the FBI, Patel was a purveyor of conspiracy theories about Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and sex trafficker who died in prison in 2019. Now, Patel is having to bat away MAGA activists' claims that Epstein blackmailed powerful clients and was murdered in prison after the Justice Department said neither theory is true.MAGA's ecosystem has helped Patel rebound from his misstep in the Kirk investigation, though.Late Friday, the "Just The News" website — a Patel favorite among right-wing outlets — wrote up a tick tock of how the FBI was able to catch Kirk's alleged killer.Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo later discussed how the arrest came together on her Sunday show.And then, after Patel's appearance on Fox early Monday, some MAGA praise began to break through.

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