FBI Director Kash Patel testifies in front of the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, DC, on Sept.17, 2025.
With the backdrop of social media posts by FBI Director Kash Patel, House Judiciary Committee Democratic leader Jamie Raskin questions the director at a hearing in Washington, DC, on Sept.17, 2025.
A birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein purportedly written by President Donald Trump is displayed during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Sep. 17, 2025, as FBI Director Kash Patel testifies.
FBI Director Kash Patel prepares to testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C., on Sept.17, 2025.

It’s possible President Donald Trump should’ve picked a better podcaster to head up the FBI.

The current one, Kash Patel, has spent two days this week embarrassing himself in congressional testimony, childishly hollering at Democratic lawmakers like Sen. Adam Schiff and helping make Trump’s Jeffrey Epstein problem considerably worse.

During a Sept. 17 congressional hearing, Patel was pressed on the administration’s unwillingness to release the Epstein files, something Patel himself demanded when he wasn’t director of the FBI. Rather than give a direct answer, the former podcaster and longtime right-wing conspiracy theorist deflected, dissembled and hurled insults at Democrats on the committee.

Patel can't answer a simple yes-or-no question on Epstein files

Asked by Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, whether he had ever told “the attorney general that Donald Trump’s name is in the Epstein files,” Patel refused to give a yes-or-no answer and eventually started reciting the alphabet, mocking Swalwell and saying he calls “bulls--t on your entire career in Congress.”

Classy, and just the kind of sober, respectful behavior Americans should expect from the director of the FBI.

Patel dissembled and distracted, but gave no clarity on the Epstein files

Throughout the hearing, Patel kept falling back on a claim that the Justice Department was limited in what it could release because of recent court orders.

“I’m not going to break the law to satisfy your curiosity,” Patel smugly told Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Democratic leader on the House Judiciary Committee.

Of course, Patel’s claim is not true. There have been court orders relating to grand jury testimony from the Epstein case, but those orders have nothing to do with the evidence in the hands of the FBI.

Judge says it's up to Washington to 'better inform the public' on Epstein

In August, U.S. District Judge Richard Berman wrote: “The Government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein Files.”

He wrote that the administration’s attempt to unseal grand jury materials “appears to be a ‘diversion’ from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Government’s possession,” adding: “The Government’s complete information trove would better inform the public about the Epstein case.”

Oops. That’s not going to help Trump extinguish the Epstein scandal. And neither is Patel’s performative rudeness.

Patel calls Schiff a buffoon in a classless display of arrogance

During his equally contentious Sept. 16 hearing before a Senate committee, Patel went off the rails, labeling Schiff “a political buffoon at best” and saying, “You are the biggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate.”

(Close your eyes and imagine a Democratic president’s FBI director speaking that way to a Republican lawmaker. You can hear the volcanic outrage from Fox News and the GOP calls for his immediate firing.)

Republicans know the Epstein issue is not going away

The bottom line is this: Americans want the files released on Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in prison while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Even Republicans subjected to Patel’s insolent testimony admit that.

“Gotta release the files,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, told CNN. “Just release everything that ‒ release everything you can.”

Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, said of Patel’s testimony, “I have no way of evaluating his answers because we haven’t seen the files.” Kennedy also said he'd like “to remind him that at least in one senator’s opinion, this issue isn’t going away.”

That is correct. And the more Trump has Patel out there running interference on Epstein, the worse things will be for the president.

Epstein birthday card, allegedly from Trump, makes perfect trap

Consider this genius strategy by Patel during the Sept. 17 hearing. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Florida, led the FBI director directly into a trap regarding the lewd Epstein birthday note that bears Trump’s signature, recently released by Epstein’s estate. Trump has claimed the note is fake.

Moskowitz asked the FBI’s top podcaster if he would open "an investigation into the Epstein estate for putting out a fake document with the president’s signature linking him to the world’s largest pedophile ring?”

Patel responded: “On what basis?”

Moskowitz said, “They literally put out a fake document, according to the president, with a fake signature. It’s a forgery of the president of the United States’ signature. That’s the basis.”

“Sure, I’ll do it,” Patel said.

Maybe 'podcaster' isn't the best qualification to run the FBI

Smooth move. I’m sure the No. 1 thing Trump wants right now is an FBI investigation that draws more attention to the creepy note he allegedly sent his good friend Epstein.

You’d think the head of the FBI would know a thing or two about subterfuge.

Trump really needs to find higher-quality podcasters to run the government.

Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @rexhuppke.bsky.social and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rude, bumbling Kash Patel keeps making Trump's Epstein problem worse | Opinion

Reporting by Rex Huppke, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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