close Video

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

After facing intense criticism from Democrats during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week, embattled FBI Director Kash Patel remained defiant, saying that he is "proud" to lead the nation’s premier investigations agency.

Speaking with reporters after the hearing, Patel, who was confirmed to the role by the Senate in late February, touted its historic recruiting efforts, saying that the agency "has the most applicants to become FBI agents and intel analysts in the history of the FBI."

One of the major criticisms he received from Democratic senators during the hearing was for initially misstating on social media that conservative leader Charlie Kirk ’s alleged killer was in custody.

Patel has conceded that he

See Full Page