FBI Director Kash Patel recently claimed that the bureau concealed investigations into Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign, calling for greater transparency to rebuild public trust.
In a Fox News interview with Deputy Director Dan Bongino, Patel said former FBI Director James Comey unilaterally decided not to pursue charges against Clinton over her private email server, bypassing the DOJ’s authority. He accused Comey of hiding or misrepresenting key investigation details and claimed Clinton later pushed the Trump-Russia narrative to distract from her own scandal.
Patel cited Comey’s 2016 press conference, where he said no “reasonable prosecutor” would charge Clinton despite potential offenses, and noted the investigation was briefly reopened just days before the election. Clinton blamed the timing for her loss.
Patel and Bongino also discussed hidden materials from Comey’s tenure, discovered in a rarely accessed room. Bongino said the contents—still being reviewed and partially classified—were not properly documented in FBI records.
Bongino added that while declassification is underway, some information belongs to other agencies. He criticized Comey for his alleged mishandling of records and referenced a recent cryptic Instagram post by Comey, which some believe was a veiled message to Trump.