President-elect Trump’s pick for FBI director, Kash Patel, was targeted in an Iranian cyber attack, according to reports. This incident is the latest in a series of alleged Iranian hack attacks on Trump’s associates. Federal officials have been investigating these allegations since the summer and prosecutors charged three Iranians in September over a cyberattack on his 2024 election campaign.
Patel’s communications were compromised during the cyberattack, with federal officials declining to comment on this specific incident. However, the FBI previously stated that there had been “activities to compromise former President Trump’s campaign,” which they attribute to Iran. Iranian officials have denied these allegations and did not immediately comment on the latest report.
As part of his transition team, Patel served in Trump’s National Security Council during his first term as an adviser to the acting director of national intelligence and chief of staff to former Defense Secretary Chris Miller. Trump announced last month that he plans to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray with Patel.
The appointment of a hardline loyalist like Patel has sparked controversy, particularly given the hurdles they may face winning Senate confirmation. Instead of the top role, Trump is considering naming Patel as deputy director or assigning him an investigative role within the Justice Department.
Patel’s appointment marks another example of Trump selecting hardline MAGA allies to join his administration, which may face a difficult path to Senate confirmation.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2024/12/04/kash-patel-trump-pick-fbi-director-iran-hack