Kash Patel's appearance on Fox News in New York on Monday 18 May has triggered a new wave of scrutiny, after viewers watching his Hannity chat began questioning why the embattled FBI director appeared to be repeatedly sniffing throughout the segment. Patel, already under fire overallegations of heavy drinkingand misuse of his office, was swiftly accused on social media of being under the influence of drugs, even though no credible evidence has been produced to support those claims.
The reaction came after weeks of mounting controversy around Kash Patel.The Atlanticrecently published a series of explosive reports accusing him of excessive alcohol consumption, unexplained absences, abuse of power and being intoxicated while on the job.
Those stories have been seized on by House Democrats, some of whom have publicly branded him a 'raging alcoholic' and called for his removal. Patel has responded with a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the magazine and its staff, insisting the allegations are politically motivated smears.
Against that backdrop, Patel's latest Fox News Hannity chat might have been expected to project steadiness. Instead, viewers homed in on what they saw as constant sniffing and an odd cadence, turning the performance into fresh fodder for critics.
Rob Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of the progressive outlet MeidasTouch, claimed online that 'Kash just can't seem to shake the sniffing problem that has plagued him for several years.' Other commenters piled in with less restrained speculation. One wrote: 'Sniffing Adderall/cocaine is a must in the Trump era.' Another added, 'Dude, it's getting a little noticeable.'
Kash just can't seem to shake the sniffing problem that has plagued him for several years.https://t.co/aeKCvZGZfp
Some tried to couch their insinuations in pseudo-medical language. 'Cocaine use affects the mucosal lining of the nose. Not sure why I just thought of that,' one user posted. Another quipped, 'He's allergic to work. Does excess drinking cause the sniffles?'
At this stage, the drug chatter is pure online conjecture. The current political firestorm around Kash Patel focuses on alcohol, not narcotics. The piece offers no evidence of cocaine or Adderall use, and no lawmaker has put such an accusation on the record.
There is no confirmation Patel has used any illegal substance, and suggestions to the contrary rest entirely on how he sounded on television. What is confirmed is that Democrats have used theAtlanticreporting to intensify pressure. They argue the FBI director cannot credibly lead a law enforcement agency while facing unanswered questions about his own conduct.
Patel, for his part, has gone on the offensive. In congressional testimony, he has described the drinking allegations as 'unequivocally, categorically false' and insisted he has 'never been intoxicated while on the job.' That insistence has come under its own form of scrutiny, given that he has previously posted photos and videos of himself chugging beer during an official FBI trip to the Olympics in Milan.
Source: International Business Times UK
