National Security Expert Reveals What's So Concerning About Trump's FBI Director Pick

David Rohde described the "fear" over Trump choosing Kash Patel to lead the agency.

David Rohde, NBC News senior national security executive editor, detailed concerns among federal law enforcement circles on Sunday over Donald Trump nominating Kash Patel to replace Christopher Wray as FBI director.

Rohde told MSNBC’s Alex Witt that there’s “fear” over Patel — a loyalist to the president-elect — following conspiracy theories. He then pointed to Patel’s interest in closing the FBI’s D.C. headquarters and his vows to prosecute Trump’s enemies in the media as well as the government.

“And there is a concern that this type of politics, what it does most of all, is distract the FBI from its main goals which is cracking down on drug trafficking, violent crime across the U.S. and sort’ve guarding against foreign espionage in the United States,” Rohde said.

“People are tired of the politics on both sides inside the FBI, is what I’ve heard, and they’re worried this is just going to be more infighting and more of a distraction.”

An ex-senior law enforcement official who previously interacted with Patel, in an NBC News piece co-authored by Rohde, called his nomination “ridiculous” before adding that he’s “arguably the least qualified person ever nominated for a senior position in federal law enforcement.”