FBI Director Kash Patel Battles it Out With Trump's Counterterror Chief Over Charlie Kirk Assassination Probe
FBI Director Kash Patel and Counterterrorism chief Joe Kent are not seeing eye-to-eye over Charlie Kirk.
Oct. 30 2025, Published 5:20 p.m. ET
FBI Director Kash Patel has dropped the hammer on Tulsi Gabbard's closest advisor's hopes of uncovering foreign involvement in Charlie Kirk’s shocking assassination, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In a dramatic turn of events, Joe Kent, the head of the National Counterterrorism Center, took it upon himself to dive into FBI files, seeking to determine whether Kirk's alleged killer received any outside assistance.
Clash Erupts Over Counterterror Investigation
FBI Director Patel has battled it out with counterterror chief Joe Kent over the Kirk case.
However, this investigation set off alarm bells for Patel, who felt that the counterterror chief was dangerously overstepping his bounds by meddling in an ongoing FBI probe, as reported by the New York Times.
Kirk was tragically shot in the throat by a high-powered sniper rifle while addressing college students at Utah Valley University on September 10. Twenty-two-year-old Tyler Robinson now faces murder charges and a potential death penalty if found guilty.
White House Tensions Boil Over
Kent sparked outrage after launching his own probe into possible foreign links.
Supporters of Kent argue he was merely chasing leads, with their claims igniting further speculation about whether foreign groups could be implicated in Kirk’s murder. But once Patel caught wind of Kent rummaging through FBI case files related to the chilling incident, the White House was forced to call a high-stakes meeting to hash things out.
A round table gathering occurred involving Patel, Kent, Gabbard, Vice President JD Vance, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and senior DOJ officials, all eager to address the fallout from Kent’s investigation.
Patel Shuts Down Unauthorized Inquiry
Patel shut down Kent’s efforts to explore foreign involvement in the killing.
During the meeting, Kent insisted he had obtained FBI file access through a low-ranking official, a justification that failed to alleviate Patel’s concerns. He swiftly shut down any initiatives from the Counterterrorism Center to explore if foreign powers had a hand in Kirk’s tragic demise.
With Robinson charged in the Kirk murder case at Utah Valley University, officials were left rattled. The White House meeting was so fraught that, according to the Times, "little was accomplished."
The apprehension among Trump administration officials stemmed from the fear that Kent's probe into potential foreign interference could be used by Robinson's defense team to introduce doubt about his sole culpability.
Fallout and Lingering Questions
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Tulsi Gabbard and Patel joined White House officials in a tense meeting over the dispute.
Traditionally, both the FBI and DOJ maintain strict control over evidence in active cases, and under Kent's leadership, the Counterterrorism Center scoured intelligence from other agencies looking for any hints of foreign connections to Robinson, including potential funding links tied to left-wing groups like Antifa.
Confusion looms as longstanding jurisdiction issues persist between Gabbard's office and the investigative powers of the FBI. As it stands, it's unclear if either agency is still probing the possibility of foreign involvement in the assassination of Kirk.
In a potent joint statement to the Times, Patel and Gabbard reassured, "The FBI and intelligence community under the direction of President Trump will leave no stone unturned in the investigation of the assassination of our friend, Charlie Kirk."
Kent, who was confirmed to lead the Counterterrorism Center back in July, has been busy disrupting narco-terrorist cells and cartels. Previously, he ran for Congress unsuccessfully in both 2022 and 2024 in Washington, promoting himself as a staunch MAGA loyalist. Known for his non-interventionist foreign policy views, the former CIA employee and Green Beret veteran now finds himself at the center of a firestorm.
