The bombshell report by The New York Post alleged that sources within the FBI had called Patel “in over his head” and his deputy, Dan Bongino, “something of a clown.”
“Patel apparently did not have his own FBI raid jacket with him and refused to step from the plane without wearing one,” the report, citing a highly respected agent, read.
FBI agents who were working on Kirk’s case “had to stop and ask around to find an FBI raid jacket — a medium-sized one — that would fit,” and eventually Patel was given a jacket belonging to a female agent.
However, according to the report, the FBI director complained that “two areas on the upper sleeves did not have Velcro patches attached” and refused to leave the plane until those areas were patched, prompting agents to remove their own to loan to him.
I can’t say for certain they are but I’m of the same generation as him and grew up around conservatives that considered that type of “America at any cost” media to be sacred texts.
When you scratch the surface on it, it’s all just thinly veiled jingoism in a glossy suit. Hence homeboys desire here to have a “cool guy” jacket with unearned valor on it.
It’s 100% about the optics at the photo op after the real work has been done by someone trained and qualified.