The article has cited dozens of individuals expressing concern at FBI Director Kash Patel’s “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences”.
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PublishedApr 20, 2026, 10:00 PM
WASHINGTON - FBI Director Kash Patel filed a defamation lawsuit against the Atlantic and its reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick following the publication of an article on April 17 alleging the director had a drinking problem that could pose a threat to national security.
The magazine's story, initially titled Kash Patel's Erratic Behavior Could Cost Him His Job, cited more than two dozen anonymous sources expressing concern at Mr Patel’s “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences” that “alarmed officials at the FBI and the Department of Justice.”
The article, which the Atlantic subsequently titled The FBI Director Is MIA in its online version, reported that during Mr Patel’s tenure, the FBI had to reschedule early meetings “as a result of his alcohol-fueled nights” and that Mr Patel “is often away or unreachable, delaying time-sensitive decisions needed to advance investigations.”
In the Atlantic's story, the White House, the Department of Justice and Mr Patel denied the allegations. The article included a statement from the FBI attributed to Mr Patel, “Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court—bring your checkbook.”
“The Atlantic's story is a lie,” Mr Patel said in an interview with Reuters. “They were given the truth before they published, and they chose to print falsehoods anyway.”
“We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel,” Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg said in a statement to CNBC after Mr Patel threatened to sue the publication on April 19 in an appearance on Fox News.
Reuters could not independently establish the accuracy of the Atlantic’s article or why the publication changed the title. The Atlantic and Ms Fitzpatrick could not be immediately reached for comment.
Source: Drudge Report
