Fetterman: Kash Patel said he wouldn't go after Trump's enemies

Kash Patel, President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, told Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in their meeting that he would not target President-elect Trump’s enemies if confirmed to the post by the Senate, according to the Pennsylvania senator. In an interview on ABC News's "This Week," Fetterman told Jonathan Karl that, in his meeting with...

Dec 23, 2024 - 02:00
Fetterman: Kash Patel said he wouldn't go after Trump's enemies

Kash Patel, President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, told Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in their meeting that he would not target President-elect Trump’s enemies if confirmed to the post by the Senate, according to the Pennsylvania senator.

In an interview on ABC News's "This Week," Fetterman told Jonathan Karl that, in his meeting with Patel this week, Patel said to him that he does not plan to target Trump's enemies — despite past remarks Patel has made to the contrary.

Fetterman declined to go into detail about their meeting, noting they were all off the record. Still, Fetterman said, "Absolutely … that's never going to happen," when asked about Patel's past remarks that he would target Trump's enemies.

“That’s not it,” Fetterman added. “That’s what he claims.”

Fetterman, one of the few Democratic senators willing to meet with Trump's pick for the top post when he's sworn into office next month, said he learned more about Patel's family's origin story of immigration to the U.S. Fetterman also said he never knew Patel was a public defender.

Asked whether he likes Patel more than he expected and whether he could see himself supporting Patel, Fetterman said, “I mean, how much can you absorb in 30 minutes.”

He said, however, he does not regret meeting with Trump’s picks.

“I have learned things, and I have heard things, and I have no regrets for having these. I never left any of those interviews saying, well, that was a waste of time, or I regret that."