Well, The Atlantic’s editors and reporters can’t say they weren’t warned – because they were.
The left-wing rag published an outragious hit piece on FBI Director Kash Patel, ‘quoting’ “anonymous sources” who made a series of ridiculous accusations about excessive drinking, a party atmosphere withing his office, and a number of other claims that both he and his lawyers warned would bring a lawsuit if they were published (spoiler alert: they were published):
FBI Director Kash Patel filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic magazine on Monday, saying a recent story about his alleged frequent drinking and absences included “false and obviously fabricated” claims.
The 19-page lawsuit, filed in the District of Columbia, is seeking $250 million in damages. Sarah Fitzpatrick, the reporter who wrote the story, is also named as a defendant.
Patel and the FBI have repeatedly denied allegations in the story, which included allegations that Patel often drinks to excess. The piece, which cited multiple unnamed current and former officials, also said that Patel’s “irregular presence at FBI headquarters and in field offices” has delayed “time-sensitive decisions” that require the FBI director’s input.
The lawsuit listed 17 allegations in the article that Patel’s legal team alleges were “false and defamatory statements of fact,” including that he “is known to drink to the point of obvious intoxication.”
“Each of the foregoing statements and implications is false. They are so demonstrably and obviously false, or easily refuted, that it was at best reckless to publish them,” the suit said.
In a statement posted on X, The Atlantic said, “We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists from this meritless lawsuit.”
Last year, Patel sued left-wing former FBI agent Frank Figliuzzi, an MSNBC analyst, over his claims the director was spending more time in nightclubs than in the office. That case, filed in federal court in Texas, is still pending.
Here’s more on the lawsuit, from Patel’s attorney, Jesse Binnall:
This is the letter we sent to The Atlantic and Sarah Fitzpatrick BEFORE they published their hit piece on FBI Director @FBIDirectorKash. They were on notice that the claims were categorically false and defamatory. They published anyway.
See you in court. pic.twitter.com/Ke8cqNh8hY
— Jesse R. Binnall (@jbinnall) April 17, 2026
This is the letter we sent to The Atlantic and Sarah Fitzpatrick BEFORE they published their hit piece on FBI Director @FBIDirectorKash. They were on notice that the claims were categorically false and defamatory. They published anyway. See you in court.
Patel also responded to the hit piece:
see you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court… But do keep at it with the fake news, actual malice standard is now what some would call a legal lay up. https://t.co/MfbHH8OtLv pic.twitter.com/kw5U3LrfMM
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) April 18, 2026
By any measure, it’s clear the FBI under Patel is putting in the work and making America safer again:
-40,000+ violent crime arrests – up 112%
-2K+ gangs/criminal enterprises disrupted – up 210%
-6,300+ child victims located – up 30%
-2,500 kilograms of fentanyl seized, enough to kill 180 million Americans – up 31%
-8 of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted fugitives captured – double the… pic.twitter.com/P39EVJ93j4— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) April 19, 2026
Thanks to @realDonaldTrump’s leadership, this FBI has had the most prolific year in crime reduction in United States history pic.twitter.com/JlLKKSz17G
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) April 20, 2026
We’ll keep you updated as this case progresses.
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