
William Webster, a former FBI and CIA director, has urged the Senate to reject President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of Kash Patel to lead the FBI. Webster’s criticism, framed as concern over politicization, has sparked debate over the entrenched power of the intelligence community.
Webster, whose career spans decades in Washington, represents the establishment figures often criticized by reform-minded conservatives. His opposition to Patel is being interpreted by some as a sign that Patel’s nomination threatens the status quo within the FBI.
William Webster Crawls Out of Retirement to Save the Swamp
Who does William Webster think he is? This washed-up relic of the D.C. swamp—who hasn’t been relevant since fax machines were cutting-edge—is now telling senators to reject Kash Patel as FBI Director and Tulsi Gabbard as… pic.twitter.com/gazvDlDfYF
— Joe Portman (@RealJoePortman) December 28, 2024
Under recent leadership, including Christopher Wray and James Comey, the FBI has faced accusations of unprecedented political bias. Patel has been a vocal critic of this legacy, promising to rid the agency of “deep state” actors and restore its focus on impartial justice.
One of the Deep Staters who seems very worried that the FBI will be forced onto the straight and narrow is William Webster, one of the deepest of the Deep Staters. #kashpatelfbidirector https://t.co/2nPndnC35c
— St. John (pronounced Sinjun) O’Callaghan (@st_sinjun) December 27, 2024
Webster warned that Patel’s loyalty to Trump could compromise the agency’s independence. However, supporters of Patel argue that Webster’s objections highlight the intelligence community’s resistance to any leader who challenges its entrenched interests.
William Webster is 100 years old. God bless him, but the agencies he was part of are no longer what they were. They need significant change. Patel and Gabbard can lead such an effort. They need to be approved.
— AnytaAynn (@SconnieinTexas) December 29, 2024
Patel’s nomination has drawn praise from those seeking accountability within the FBI. His track record of challenging institutional norms positions him as a divisive but potentially transformative figure.
Former FBI and CIA chief urges senators to sink Patel, Gabbard https://t.co/xDnj4fe86X #FoxNews
Tulsi and Kash's backgrounds and experience far exceed what William Webster had when he was selected to run the FBI & CIA. Given his comments, he never should have been picked for…— 31Kelleher (@31Kelleher) December 29, 2024
Patel has pledged to overhaul the agency’s leadership and operations, aiming to restore public trust in its mission.
William Webster: The Swamp's Very Own Crypt Keeper Has Thoughts
William Webster, 100 years old and apparently still clinging to swamp talking points, just crawled out of retirement (or the crypt?) to attack Trump’s picks for Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard. The man’s been around so… pic.twitter.com/3XmZPuQcVi
— Joe Portman (@RealJoePortman) December 29, 2024
Better to reject William Webster.
— Den Gormley (@GormleyDen) December 30, 2024