A troll account mocked Kash Patel online, so he told the FBI to fire back. But his spokesman said no

Associated Press journalist Seth Hettena wrote on X that the FBI turned over text messages under the Freedom of Information Act. He said those messages showed Director Kash Patel telling staff to answer a critical post on X. The exchange, Hettena reported, was between Patel and Ben Williamson, the bureau’s assistant director for public affairs.

An X account using the name Ifindr—-ds posted in February. That post said Patel’s “r—-d rating just went to all time highs. Congratulations Kash.” Hettena said Patel wanted the bureau to answer it. As of writing, the post is still live, and received more than 500 comments and 17,000 love reacts.

The texts, as Hettena described them, showed Patel urging staff to reply and to “continuously” answer with the bureau’s “record year results.” Hettena also said he built a mockup of the same exchange as it would appear on an iPhone.

FOIA texts show Patel seeking replies after his public affairs aide objected

Hettena reported that Williamson pushed back in the messages. Williamson said a reply to @Ifindr—-ds would “look bad” on Patel. Patel’s concern about public perception has surfaced before, such as when he was reportedly pulled back from an FBI jet heading to a concert. The texts then showed Patel answering that concern.

Patel wrote that “it’s not about them, it is about the number of views, because people see it and need to be seeing our stats.” Hettena cited that line from the released messages. Patel tied the requested reply to putting bureau figures in front of people who saw the original post.

Hettena said the FOIA file contained the messages between Patel and Williamson. He also identified the February post and the account that published it. As he presented the texts, Patel asked for repeated answers that pointed to bureau results.

Williamson’s warning about appearance sat beside Patel’s focus on views. Patel’s message, in the texts Hettena cited, linked the reply to how many people might see the bureau’s figures. Hettena’s report did not include another public comment from Patel on that specific exchange.

The messages Hettena highlighted did not show a later FBI reply to that account. His account stayed on Patel’s instruction, Williamson’s objection, and the reason Patel gave for wanting a response. Hettena treated the released texts as the record of that discussion.

As of writing, the FBI and Kash Patel did not comment on the screenshot shared by Hettena.