Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) called FBI Director Kash Patel “a disgrace” during Tuesday’s Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing about Patel’s alleged and unproven drinking habits. This is how the senator operates: through gossip and sound bites.
Last month, the Atlantic published a bombshell story that detailed Patel’s alleged excessive drinking. Following the report, Patel’s FBI launched an investigation into reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick responded by publishing another story last week detailing how Patel has reportedly been handing out personalized bottles of bourbon labeled “Ka$h Patel.” Patel has denied the reporting.
It’s a gossipy story from an extremely far-left magazine. Patel is suing the magazine for $250,000,000 for defamation. The magazine cited more than two dozen ANONYMOUS sources. Mr. Patel and the White House denied the claims.
The rumors that Kash Patel is a drunk now seem to be coming largely from Chris Van Hollen, and he won’t let it go. FBI Director Patel gave a great rebuttal this week, which infuriated Van Hollen, who can be quite a nasty guy.
Kash Patel embarrassed Chris Van Hollen:
“The only person that was slinging margaritas in El Salvador on the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gang-banging rapist was you.” pic.twitter.com/pDS6YwrfXJ
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) May 12, 2026
Patel referenced Van Hollen’s trip to El Salvador, where he drank margaritas with a reported MS-13 trafficker.
Van Hollen’s trying to keep it going. He took a meaningless fake test to fire back at Patel. Van Hollen is one of the farthest left senators in Congress. He is a career politician who went from the Maryland State House to the State Senate to the U.S. House of Representatives to the U.S. Senate. He’ll die on the job. His accomplishments are to support unions, bring money home, pass Democrat bills, accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing, and attack Republicans.
Yesterday, @FBIDirectorKash told me he’d take the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test if I did. Well, here’s mine.
Given all the lies he told yesterday, I imagine he’ll fudge the numbers here, but let’s see yours, Director Patel. pic.twitter.com/rYH2WupWb3
— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) May 13, 2026
I don’t know if Kash Patel drinks to excess, but until I see real proof from reputable sources, I don’t buy it.