Trump FBI nominee Kash Patel vows to investigate those who planned to spy on traditional Catholics

Trump FBI nominee Kash Patel vows to investigate those who planned to spy on traditional Catholics

President Trump's nominee for FBI director said during his confirmation hearing that he would ‘hold those accountable who violated the sacred trust placed in the FBI.’

Kash Patel answers questions during a confirmation hearing.X

Emily
Mangiaracina

Thu Jan 30, 2025 - 3:53 pm EST

Listen to this article

0:00 / 3:54

BeyondWords

WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) — Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s nominee for director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, pledged to hold accountable the Department of Justice (DOJ) employees who planned on spying on and infiltrating Catholic churches under Joe Biden’s DOJ.

During Patel’s confirmation hearing on Thursday, Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri referred to an infamous 2023 memo from the FBI’s Richmond, Virginia, office that alleged so-called “Radical Traditionalist Catholic Ideology” is a magnet for “violent extremists.”

“Will you also commit to me that you will conduct an investigation and find out who wrote this memo, who spread this memo, the field offices involved in this memo?” Hawley asked Patel.

He went on to say that former FBI director Christopher Wray had “lied” multiple times to Congress, first by claiming that such a memo targeting Catholics didn’t exist and then claiming that only one field office was involved in the memo, whereas it was later revealed by a whistleblower that multiple field offices were involved. Wray later falsely claimed the memo was “never posted on the internal system” of the FBI.

“Will you find out who was involved in this gross abuse of Americans’ First Amendment rights, and will you discipline them, and if you possibly can, will you fire them, Mr. Patel?” Hawley continued.

Patel pledged his “commitment to investigate any matters such as this one that are important to Congress.”

“I will fully utilize, if confirmed, the investigative powers of the FBI to give you the information you require and also to hold those accountable who violated the sacred trust placed in the FBI,” Patel vowed.

The memo in question had called for “tripwire and source development” – in other words, spying and infiltration – in traditional Roman Catholic churches, particularly those served by priests of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX).

The document sparked a widespread outcry from Catholics and even Protestants across the country who lambasted its creation for violating the First Amendment by targeting Americans as “threats” due to particular religious beliefs.

The FBI thereafter retracted the memo and said it would investigate why it was written. It was later found that documents from the FBI indicated its field office in Richmond coordinated with two other offices across the country in a conspiracy to spy on traditional Catholics.

Haut du formulaire

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY HEADLINES

US Canada Catholic

Bas du formulaire

During the Senate confirmation hearing, Patel also promised, when pressed by Hawley, to investigate those in the FBI involved in targeting parents of school children who objected to critical race theory and school masking policies. He vowed that such parents, along with worshipping Americans, would not be targeted as “domestic terrorists” under his leadership.

“Parents who have the courage to ensure that their children are taught what they feel is right and those who have the courage of their convictions to go to houses of worship, in my book, will never be treated as domestic terrorists,” Patel said.

During Trump’s first term, Patel served as Chief of Staff to the Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller and as a senior adviser to the Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell.

TOPICS

TAGGED AS

SHARE

Your support makes stories like this possible!

LifeSiteNews is completely donor supported, allowing us to report on what truly is happening in the world, free of charge and uncensored. A donation to LifeSite will ensure millions around the world can continue to come to our site to find the truth people are so desperately searching for on life, faith, family and freedom.

Donate Now

Canadian high school scraps gender-neutral bathroom plan after parental outrage

Cardinal Müller on Trump: ‘Better a good Protestant than a bad Catholic’ in the White House

EXCLUSIVE: Pro-lifer pardoned by Trump: ‘It was like heaven’ to enter a Catholic church again for Mass

Tulsi Gabbard says Biden FBI ‘abused its power’ by targeting ‘Traditional Latin Mass’ Catholics

SUBSCRIBE TO DAILY HEADLINES »

3 Comments

Haut du formulaire

Email

VERIFY EMAIL

Name

Comment *

Add my name and email address to the LSN mailing list. You may unsubscribe at any time.
By submitting your information, you agree to allow LifeSiteNews to send you email communications.

I agree to the commenting guidelines

Commenting Guidelines

LifeSiteNews welcomes thoughtful, respectful comments that add useful information or insights. Demeaning, hostile or propagandistic comments, and streams not related to the storyline, will be removed.

LSN commenting is not for frequent personal blogging, on-going debates or theological or other disputes between commenters.

Multiple comments from one person under a story are discouraged (suggested maximum of three). Capitalized sentences or comments will be removed (Internet shouting).

LifeSiteNews gives priority to pro-life, pro-family commenters and reserves the right to edit or remove comments.

Comments under LifeSiteNews stories do not necessarily represent the views of LifeSiteNews.

Bas du formulaire

Sort By: Newest first Oldest first Nested Replies Inline Replies

1. Rick Rozoff

— 11 hours ago

Two Hindu nominees - Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard - defend the Catholic faith while Catholic leaders, both clergy and lay, either remain mum or support the persecution.

REPLY

2. Renew Rome

— 10 hours ago

As Morris McGurk commented on another article; 'Senator Hawley is the best Senator in the country. He has done more to support Catholics than any other politician that I can think of.'

Truth.

REPLY

3. Show More comments

RETURN TO TOP

News