Washington: Kash Patel took oath as the ninth director of the FBI on the Bhagavad Gita and spoke about how a first-generation Indian kid is living the American dream, reflecting on his heritage.
The US Senate voted 51 to 49 to confirm Patel on Thursday.
Patel’s family members and girlfriend were present during the oath ceremony on Friday.
The oath ceremony was administered by US Attorney General Pam Bondi in the Indian Treaty Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) on the White House campus.
She asked Patel to place his hand on the Gita and raise his right hand to take the oath.
“I am living the American dream. Anyone who thinks the American dream is dead, just look right here. You’re talking to a first-generation Indian kid who’s about to lead the law enforcement community, the greatest nation on God’s green earth. That can’t happen anywhere else,” Patel, 44, said.
New York-born Patel has his roots in Gujarat. However, his parents are from East Africa – his mother is from Tanzania and his father is from Uganda. They came to the US from Canada in 1970.
The family moved to Queens in New York – often called Little India — in the late 70s. Patel was born and grew up there.
Patel’s parents are retired now and spend their time in both the US and Gujarat.
During his swearing-in ceremony, Patel expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump, his family and the senators who voted for his confirmation, saying they’d put an “enormous leap of faith” in him.
“Look, I know the media’s in here, and if you have a target, the target’s right here,” Patel said as he pointed to himself. “It is not the men and women at the FBI.”
Patel also addressed his critics who believe there will be a “two-tiered system of justice.”
“Not with Attorney General Bondi,” he assured the sceptics. “There’s a singular system of justice for all Americans, and there will be accountability.”
“We will uphold the Constitution. We will uphold ourselves to the Constitution. The men and women at the FBI — I have your back because you have the backs of the American people,” he said. “You will be held to the same high standard. Any deviation from that standard will not be tolerated at this Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
Before the swearing-in ceremony, Trump praised Patel, saying he would go down as the best FBI director.
“One of the reasons I loved Kash and wanted to put him in was the respect the agents had for him. I think he’ll go down as the best ever at that position.”
