Senate Questions Kash Patel on Charlie Kirk Case and FBI Shake-Up – Live Updates

FBI Director Kash Patel has defended his position as head of the nation's leading security agency, as senators demanded information on ongoing US Senate investigation 2025, including Charlie Kirk killing probe, the case concerning sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein, and the controversial resignations of senior FBI officials who claimed Patel removed them in an act of retaliation for political reasons.

Patel's appearance in front of Kash Patel testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee marked his first major oversight hearing since he took his post -- a high stakes event in a turbulent time. Kash Patel Senate hearing comes at a point that the bureau is facing internal turmoil and growing worries about the violence in politics across the U.S., which President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed on the left. In announcing his achievements so far, Patel pointed to efforts to combat violent crime and safeguarding children as the most important achievements.

When asked in the Senate by senator Dick Durbin regarding the recent dismissals of FBI upheaval news, Patel refused to discuss the personnel decision-making process, but instead accused that the Democrat of unfairly criticizing the Bureau's leadership. He earlier said that it was "absolutely disgraceful" to repeat what he called an "one-sided narrative" about the firings.

In the meantime the president Trump said that U.S. military struck multiple Venezuelan vessels earlier this week in the course of that target drug traffickers. Although Trump previously stated that the military had hit two vessels and killed three people on the other, Trump then correct himself by saying "We knocked off, actually, three boats, not two." Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has condemned the strikes, and President Trump has criticized the strikes, but White House has yet to confirm what happened and where the incident took place.

During the hearing during the hearing, senator Lindsey Graham, who is a Trump allies, asked Patel about the legal basis for the strike. Patel declined to respond and referred the question to attorney general Pam Bondi. While the majority of Republicans have been supportive of Trump's tough stance certain lawmakers are beginning question how the operations are conducted and whether they are backed by a valid legal basis.