The FBI has briefed Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be the next FBI director, that he is the target of a suspected Iranian cyberattack. Two senior law enforcement officials told NBC News the threat from Iranian hackers came before Trump chose Patel for the position.
Reports indicate that the hackers might have attempted to breach some of Patel’s communications. However, it is not yet known whether any communications were successfully accessed or how much data, if any, was compromised. The FBI would not comment on an ongoing investigation into the matter.
But let’s be real: for Patel to become the head of the FBI, the current director – Christopher Wray, who is serving a 10-year term until 2027 – would have to resign or be fired. Patel would also have to be confirmed by the Senate.
In response to the situation, Trump’s team issued a statement without directly acknowledging the alleged cyberattack. Transition spokesman Alex Pfeiffer emphasized Patel’s role in the previous administration’s efforts against Iran, stating, “Kash Patel was a key part of the first Trump administration’s efforts against the terrorist Iranian regime and will implement President Trump’s policies to protect America from adversaries as the FBI Director.”
Earlier this year, three Iranian operatives were accused of hacking Trump’s presidential campaign in a move that the Justice Department characterized as one meant to compromise US elections. These operatives, allegedly working for Iran’s paramilitary organization known as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were accused of stealing emails and documents with plans to distribute them to media outlets.
The investigation confirmed that information gleaned from the Trump campaign was passed along to persons with some association with the Joe Biden campaign, although there was no evidence that any of the recipients acted on that information.
