FBI Director Kash Patel has taken decisive action by firing an agent for the second time in four years, following a series of inflammatory comments and conspiracy theories directed at the bureau's leadership.
Threatening Remarks Prompt Swift Dismissal
According to a report by The New York Post, Steven Friend was dismissed last week after making comments on a podcast that led the FBI to consider him a threat to Director Patel. The agent's remarks, made on December 5 on a show hosted by former FBI agent Kyle Seraphin, included ominous warnings.
"You better pray to Gaia or Vishnu or whatever your maker is that real Steve Friend is never in a position to be an instrument of God’s wrath," Friend stated. He continued with a chilling addendum: "I will be merciful: I won’t give you a trial and a hanging. I’ll allow you to breathe every breath that your body will have for the rest of your natural life inside of a box."
Although Patel was not named directly, the reference to the Hindu god Vishnu was widely interpreted as a pointed allusion to the FBI director's religion. Friend also implied, without providing evidence, that Patel was involved in covering up details related to the arrest of alleged Washington, D.C. pipe bomber Brian Cole Jr.
A History of Controversy and a Previous Ousting
This dismissal marks the second time the former SWAT team agent has been forced out of the bureau. His first removal came in 2022 under then-Director Chris Wray. Friend was suspended after alleging the FBI used excessive force against individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
He later became a whistleblower, testifying before Congress in 2023 alongside others who claimed the bureau had become politicised and that their security clearances were revoked due to their views on the Capitol riot. "I sacrificed my dream job to share this information with the American people," Friend told lawmakers at the time.
Following Donald Trump's return to office, Friend reached a settlement with the Department of Justice and was reinstated in October. However, The New York Post noted he had not resumed regular duties as his background check remained incomplete.
Fallout and Continued Criticism
The podcast clip triggered immediate concern at FBI headquarters. Friend was instructed to report to the bureau's Jacksonville field office last week before receiving his dismissal letter, dated December 12.
In the letter, obtained by The Daily Beast, Patel wrote: "You are being summarily dismissed from your position at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and removed from the federal service, under my authority as the FBI Director, effective immediately." The director cited "unprofessional conduct and poor judgment" as the reasons for the termination.
Since his reported firing, Friend has taken to social media to repeatedly criticise Patel's leadership of the agency. The FBI has not publicly commented on the matter in response to requests from The Independent.
The case highlights ongoing tensions within the FBI and the challenges of managing internal dissent, particularly from figures who have cultivated public profiles as conservative commentators. Friend, who once received "mysterious payments" from Patel according to Politico, has seen his alliance with the director dissolve into a very public feud.
