FBI Director Kash Patel Orders Polygraphs for Over Two Dozen Staff Amid Leak Hunt

FBI Director Kash Patel has plunged into panic mode, ordering polygraph tests for more than two dozen members of his security detail and other staff, according to multiple sources briefed on the matter. The tests are intended to identify who might be leaking sensitive information to the media, a desperate effort to stem damaging headlines and secure his position.

Sources told MS NOW that Patel’s polygraph order targets both current and former members of his security detail, as well as several information technology personnel who have access to confidential details about his decisions. This unprecedented sweep signals a director increasingly distrustful of his own team amid a flurry of negative press.

Patel has also reportedly isolated himself from some senior FBI leaders in recent days, avoiding meetings with key operational officials. This retreat has raised serious concerns inside the bureau about his capacity to stay informed on critical threats and investigations—an essential part of his job.

FBI spokesman Ben Williamson dismissed claims that Patel is walled off from senior staff, stating the director has maintained regular contact with his deputies and intelligence briefing teams. He declined to confirm the polygraph order.

This latest development follows Patel’s decision to launch a criminal leak investigation into a recent Atlantic article that painted him as a problematic leader who drinks excessively and is sluggish in the mornings. According to sources, FBI agents were uneasy about the probe, which involved scrutinizing a journalist’s contacts—a move that breaks with longstanding Justice Department norms that reserve such investigations for cases involving classified information and national security risks.

Agents feared they would face retaliation if they refused to participate, highlighting the pressure Patel is exerting to control the narrative.

Patel’s actions reveal a pattern of weaponizing federal law enforcement tools to intimidate critics and suppress dissent within his ranks. This aligns with broader concerns about the politicization of the FBI under his leadership, where loyalty to Patel and the Trump administration appears to trump the bureau’s core mission.

President Trump and his inner circle have expressed frustration over the negative headlines surrounding Patel, fueling speculation that the director’s days may be numbered. Patel’s polygraph order and internal distancing underscore a leader grasping at straws to maintain power amid growing turmoil.

As FBI morale falters and trust erodes, Patel’s moves threaten to deepen the crisis of confidence in an agency tasked with upholding the rule of law—not shielding corrupt officials from accountability. We will continue to track this story as it develops.