EXCLUSIVE: Kash Patel Battles Claims SWAT-Style 'Breaching Equipment' Was Requested After FBI Boss Was Allegedly Unreachable Behind Locked Doors
Kash Patel is battling 'The Atlantic' over explosive claims about his conduct as FBI director.
Aug. 17 2026, Published 7:55 p.m. ET
FBI Director Kash Patel is battling claims that SWAT-style "breaching equipment" was requested after he was allegedly unreachable behind locked doors, one of several accusations now at the center of his defamation war with The Atlantic, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to court documents obtained by Radar, The Atlantic and staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick are asking a federal judge to dismiss Patel's lawsuit over an April article that painted a damaging picture of his tenure as head of the FBI. Among the statements Patel says are defamatory is the claim that specialized equipment designed to force entry into locked buildings was requested after he allegedly became unreachable behind closed doors.
The FBI Responds to Shock Claims
Patel had allegedly been unresponsive behind locked doors, according to court docs.
The claim was included in a detailed list of 19 points Fitzpatrick sent to FBI officials before publication.
In the email, she told the bureau she planned to report that a request for breaching equipment had been submitted to headquarters and granted because Patel had allegedly been unresponsive behind locked doors and there were concerns about reaching him in an emergency.
The FBI responded: "False."
That allegation appeared alongside another disputed claim involving Patel's security detail. Fitzpatrick told officials she planned to report that members of Patel's detail had, on multiple occasions, experienced difficulty waking him because he was allegedly "seemingly intoxicated," and that information about those incidents had been supplied to Justice Department and White House officials. The FBI also denied that claim, responding: "False."
'Seemingly Intoxicated'
The court filings do not establish that alcohol was the reason Patel was allegedly unreachable behind locked doors.
The court filings do not establish that alcohol was the reason Patel was allegedly unreachable behind locked doors, and Patel disputes both accusations.
The exhibits also reveal how heated the behind-the-scenes battle became before The Atlantic published its story. Fitzpatrick sent the FBI the 19-point request for comment shortly after 2 p.m. on April 17 and initially gave officials until 4 p.m. to respond.
FBI Assistant Director of Public Affairs Benjamin Williamson fired back, calling the material "one of the most absurd things I've ever read" and saying it was "completely false at a nearly 100 percent clip."
'Bring Your Checkbook'
Patel later followed through on that threat by suing 'The Atlantic' and staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick for defamation.
Minutes after the original deadline, Williamson forwarded Patel's own message to Fitzpatrick: "Print it, all false, I'll see you in court – bring your checkbook."
Patel later followed through on that threat by suing The Atlantic and Fitzpatrick for defamation.
Justice Department officials also pushed back on the publication deadline. One DOJ official called it "ridiculous," while another complained that officials had been given only about two hours to respond to 19 separate points. Fitzpatrick ultimately agreed to extend the deadline until 5 p.m.
Lets End This Case Entirely
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'The Atlantic' is seeking to dismiss FBI Director Patel's complaint.
The DOJ later supplied a statement attributed to then-Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defending Patel's record and criticizing anonymously sourced reporting.
Now, The Atlantic is asking U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan to dismiss Patel's complaint with prejudice.
The magazine's lawyers have submitted a proposed order that would end the case entirely, but the judge has not signed it, leaving the legal battle unresolved.
