‘Embarrassment’: FBI director Kash Patel under fire for using taxpayer-funded armoured BMW X5, new jet demand

FBI director Kash Patel is under fire for allegedly exploiting government resources to travel in specially armoured BMWs and had also demanded a new and upgraded jet. Patel is now being driven in armoured BMW X5 vehicles purchased by the bureau at his request and replacing the Chevrolet Suburbans usually used to transport FBI directors. MS NOW reported that Patel wanted high-end vehicles so he could move around without drawing much suspicion.FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson confirmed the purchase, saying the vehicles were part of a planned fleet update and were cheaper than other options considered. However, Ben did not provide any receipts for the actual costs.Williamson said it is normal for federal agents to upgrade vehicles: “Government agencies, including the FBI, routinely evaluate, replace and update vehicle fleets based on usage, security needs or budgetary decisions.”The federal government already has a contract with BMW for armoured SUVs, which are used by the State Department to protect diplomats and officials in high-risk environments. According to law enforcement personnel, Patel is the first FBI director to regularly use this specialised foreign-branded vehicle. His security team still occasionally transports him in a Suburban. A person close to Patel said it would have cost $480,000 to purchase a new armoured Suburban, more than twice the price of the BMW, which Patel had demanded earlier.

$115 million jet

The BMW purchase follows another controversial and spoiled demand. Earlier this year, Patel pushed for the FBI to acquire a new, more modern jet for his use. However, the plan was reportedly dropped after cost estimates ranged from $90 million to $115 million.The Gulfstream jet remains in use, although Patel ordered an upgrade to its communications equipment. Two sources cited by MS NOW said he wanted a more reliable internet so multiple people could post more on social media. Patel’s X accounts are frequently updated.Former FBI officials did not like Patel’s demands, saying the jet already had a dedicated communications station for secure calls and that serious connection failures were rare. They acknowledged that the internet connection could be unreliable at times.Stacey Young, a former Justice Department official, called the BMW purchase “an embarrassment”.“He needs a field jacket that fits just right, a ‘Punisher’-inspired challenge coin and a new fleet of foreign cars to drive around in,” Young said.Patel dismissed the criticism as “nonsense”, and called himself a “steward of the taxpayer dollars”. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have since opened an investigation into his use of government resources.

Armoured BMW X5

According to BMW’s website, the armoured X5 is designed to protect passengers from firearms, including the AK-47, and is reinforced with steel armour and ballistic glass. However, critics saysuch measures are unnecessary as previous FBI directors travelled without armoured vehicles because the risk of an attack in Washington is considered low.