The administration is proposing a $10.2 billion budget for the FBI.
FBI director Kash Patel reversed the course on May 8, saying it could be made in time with a cut proposed to the bureau by the Trump administration.
“In my view, it’s about putting this budget together and agreeing to it and making it work for the operational needs of the FBI,” he told the Senate Budget Committee.
“As the head of the FBI, I was simply looking for more money because I could do more with more money.”
“We are concerned that the scale of the proposed reduction will eliminate vacant positions for the FBI and prevent the positions from filling,” said Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a committee member.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), a ranking member of the committee, rebuked Patel for not publishing a blueprint for the FBI budget.
“We also need a full budget request. It’s not one paragraph full of wild topics we saw in the skinny budget proposal. We’re having budget hearings without budget requests,” she said.
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Patel said it was a work in progress and would release it when approved.
His comments to the Senate Committee contrasted with his story on May 7 that he disagreed with the House Budget Committee to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed to the FBI’s $545 million cut.
Ultimately, it is the council that decides what is appropriate.
“The Skinny budget is a proposal, and I’m working through the budgeting process to explain why there’s more to be needed than what was proposed,” Patel told Rep. Rosa Delauro (D-Conn.), a committee ranking member.
The administration has proposed $10.2 billion to the FBI.
Patel said it was about $1 billion more than what OMB requested.
“So, what do you need?” asked Delauro. “Do you need $11.2 billion?”
“About,” replied Patel.
Patel told Delauro. The FBI said “we haven’t seen who we’re going to cut,” and instead “we’re focusing our energy on how we don’t let them cut by emphasizing that we can’t come here and do our mission at the 2011 budget level.”
The administration said the proposed cuts were “to revoke the FBI’s weaponization that had permeated the previous administration, including targeting peaceful prolife protesters, parents at school board meetings, and fundamental transgender ideologies.”
It “reflects the president’s priorities of reducing violent crime in American cities, reducing FBI agents’ overheads for FBI DC, and protecting national security by reaching the scene by maintaining existing law enforcement officials.”
After all, they “have a new focus on anti-intellectuality and counter-terrorism while reducing illegal enforcement missions that don’t align with the president’s priorities,” they said.
