{"id":235652,"date":"2026-04-20T18:39:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T18:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/20\/kash-patel-suing-the-atlantic-for-250-million-for-reporting-he-has-a-drinking-problem\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T18:39:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T18:39:20","slug":"kash-patel-suing-the-atlantic-for-250-million-for-reporting-he-has-a-drinking-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/20\/kash-patel-suing-the-atlantic-for-250-million-for-reporting-he-has-a-drinking-problem\/","title":{"rendered":"Kash Patel Suing The Atlantic For $250 Million For Reporting He Has a Drinking Problem"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a $250 million lawsuit against <em>The Atlantic<\/em> and a journalist who works for the magazine.<\/p>\n<p>Patel alleges that a recent article written by Sarah Fitzpatrick made false and defamatory allegations about his alcohol intake and job performance.<\/p>\n<p>For their part, both Fitzpatrick and her employer are standing by the claims made in the article.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><\/noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1431862330-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Former Chief of Staff to the Department of Defense Kash Patel speaks during a campaign rally at Minden-Tahoe Airport on October 08, 2022 in Minden, Nevada.\" class=\"wp-image-553211 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1431862330-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1431862330-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1431862330-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1431862330-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1431862330-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1431862330-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1431862330-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1431862330-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Former Chief of Staff to the Department of Defense Kash Patel speaks during a campaign rally at Minden-Tahoe Airport on October 08, 2022 in Minden, Nevada.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Justin Sullivan\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The article, which is now tiled \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/politics\/2026\/04\/kash-patel-fbi-director-drinking-absences\/686839\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The FBI Director Is MIA<\/a>\u201d originally ran under a headline that explicitly referenced Patel\u2019s drinking habits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKash Patel has alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences,\u201d reads a subheading on the article.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSeveral officials told me that Patel\u2019s drinking has been a recurring source of concern across the government. They said that he is known to drink to the point of obvious intoxication, in many cases at the private club Ned\u2019s in Washington, D.C., while in the presence of White House and other administration staff,\u201d Fitzpatrick wrote at one point in the piece.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe is also known to drink to excess at the Poodle Room, in Las Vegas, where he frequently spends parts of his weekends,\u201d she continued, adding:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEarly in his tenure, meetings and briefings had to be rescheduled for later in the day as a result of his alcohol-fueled nights, six current and former officials and others familiar with Patel\u2019s schedule told me.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Kash Patel, U.S. President Donald Trump\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nominee to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. \" class=\"wp-image-553214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Kash Patel, U.S. President Donald Trump\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nominee to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. \" class=\"wp-image-553214 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2196779062-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kash Patel, U.S. President Donald Trump\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nominee to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. <span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The article comes amid widespread criticism and speculation that Patel will be the next high-profile figure to be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/03\/donald-trump-fires-kristi-noem-amid-endless-controversies-in-deparment-of-homeland-security\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fired by the Trump administration<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In an effort to be even-handed, Fitzpatrick also cited several sources who defended Patel\u2019s job performance.<\/p>\n<p>White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is quoted as saying, \u201cCrime across the country has plummeted to the lowest level in more than 100 years and many high profile criminals have been put behind bars. Director Patel remains a critical player on the Administration\u2019s law and order team.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, \u201cPatel has accomplished more in 14 months than the previous administration did in four years. Anonymously sourced hit pieces do not constitute journalism.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I spoke to 2 dozen people familiar with Patel\u2019s conduct for this story, many of whom described it as a national security vulnerability. In response to 19 detailed questions, Patel said: \u201cPrint it, all false. I\u2019ll see you in court \u2013 bring your checkbook.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QDkdT4KPfZ\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/t.co\/QDkdT4KPfZ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Sarah Fitzpatrick (@S_Fitzpatrick) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/S_Fitzpatrick\/status\/2045273851764859074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">April 17, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWe stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit,\u201d The Atlantic said in a statement issued today.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI spoke to 2 dozen people familiar with Patel\u2019s conduct for this story, many of whom described it as a national security vulnerability,\u201d Fitzpatrick tweeted over the weekend, adding: <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn response to 19 detailed questions, Patel said: \u201cPrint it, all false. I\u2019ll see you in court \u2013 bring your checkbook.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>No one is sure where the $250 million amount in Patel\u2019s lawsuit came from.<\/p>\n<p>But one thing is for certain: the discovery phase of this trial might well prove fascinating.<\/p>\n<p>We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/04\/kash-patel-suing-the-atlantic-for-250-million-for-reporting-he-has-a-drinking-problem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reading Time: 3 minutes FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a $250 million lawsuit against The Atlantic and a journalist who works for the magazine. Patel alleges that a recent article written by Sarah Fitzpatrick made false and defamatory allegations about his alcohol intake and job performance. For their part, both Fitzpatrick and her employer [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":235653,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-235652","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hollywood"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=235652"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235652\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/235653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=235652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=235652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=235652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}