This is one of the most symbolic appointments of the new American administration. Kash Patel, faithful among the faithful of Donald Trump, was chosen to take the head of the FBI, the agency honored by the republican president. A choice resembling a revenge in every way: Kash Patel, close to the conspiracy theses Qanon and convinced that a “deep state” on the left plotted to overthrow the Trump camp, had not ceased to repeat during the campaign its desire to continue all Those who wanted to get in the way to the billionaire, journalists and members of the Biden administration included.
But Kash Petel is not yet at the head of the FBI. His appointment must still be approved by the Senate, where he was auditioned on Thursday, January 30. It was therefore necessary to an acting manager of the Federal Agency, who in principle was to be Robert Kissane, one of the most important anti -terrorist agents of the agency in New York. He was to be assisted by a certain Brian Driscoll, in charge of the Newark office, in New Jersey, for less than a week only. But shortly after Donald Trump’s inauguration, La Maison-Blanche published the opposite on his website: Brian Driscoll at the head of the FBI, and Robert Kissane Deputy Director. An error that has not been corrected by the White House, as the New York Timesand this is the agent Driscoll propelled to the head of one of the most influential institutions in the country.
A refusal to obey the Trump administration
As a result of this blunder that can appear anecdotal, the Trump camp finds itself today having to face a fierce opponent. Because if Kash Patel has promised in his hearing in the Senate that “all FBI employees will be protected from political reprisals”, it is the opposite which already seems to occur. The US Ministry of Justice thus asked the agency’s management the next day to return eight senior officials. But also and above all to receive the names and functions of more than 6,000 FBI employees who participated in the riots of January 6, 2021 and the Capitol assault by the supporters of Donald Trump, suggesting the start of the purge so much announced during the presidential campaign.
But that was without counting the resistance of a man, that nothing predestined to occupy such a position: Brian Driscoll. Nicknamed “Drizz” by his relatives, who cheerfully compares him to Captain Jack Sparrow of the film “Pirates of the Caribbean”, with his half-long curly hair and his mustache, the latter makes use of all his power to slow down the action of the new administration. In a letter to FBI employees, he said he had access to the request of the Ministry of Justice. But that the agents had only been identified by their title, their office and their role, and not by their name, the central request of the Trump administration.
In a message having circulated a lot within the FBI staff and relayed by NBC Newsan employee summed up the situation as follows: “Clearly, the Ministry of Justice came and wanted to dismiss a group of agents who worked on January 6. Driscoll is a beast. He held out and said to the ministry of justice, agent of the government, to go and be f *** re “.
Itself concerned by the possible purge
Enough to assert him in trials in “insubordination” on the part of the Ministry of Justice, and many rumors of dismissal. But Brian Driscoll is still at the head of the FBI, and seems determined to use his temporary powers until the last minute. Veteran within the FBI, his career of more than 15 years in the Federal Agency will have seen him integrate the Liberation of the hostages, with perilous operations in Iraq, Afghanistan or even in Syria. Chris O’Leary, a former senior official of the fight against terrorism in New York having worked with him, praised his experience with the New York Timessaying that “what the FBI needs most is a leader who has principles, and we have one with him”.
Above all, it is itself concerned by this purge which seems to be taking place within the FBI. Brian Driscoll had indeed participated in the arrest of Samuel Fisher, a follower of Qanon theory, found in Manhattan almost two weeks after the Capitole assault with several firearms and more than a thousand ammunition. Sentenced to three and a half in prison after pleading guilty for possession of illegal weapons, but also for having illegally entered the Capitol on January 6, 2021, Samuel Fisher is one of the people pardoned by Donald Trump since he took office on January 20 last.
The “discreet resistance”
Brian Driscoll therefore seems to have become “the improbable symbol of the discreet resistance” against the new Trump administration and his desire to chastise all those who had opposed her, writes the New York Times. Within the FBI, it has become in the space of a few weeks a form of hero, several employees calling it “providential error”. Mounts carried out circulate within the FBI, the representative in the patron saint watching his employees, or even in Batman fighting in the shadow against the “Department of Government efficiency” of Elon Musk.
But Brian Driscoll is likely to be only a delay in the inevitable takeover of the Trump camp. Unless there is a surprise reversal, Kash Patel will take the lead in the FBI in the coming weeks, with a Senate with a republican majority who does not seem to be motivated to put himself in the way of the American president and his administration.
However, the FBI’s acting director’s objective may however be elsewhere. According to Nbcthe agents of the federal agency would have been “encouraged” by the action of Brian Driscoll, who, by making public orders received from Washington, would have wanted above all to mobilize staff and the general public about the projects of the ‘Trump administration. Thus, nine FBI agents launched on Tuesday a legal proceedings to prevent the Ministry of Justice from collecting information on the persons involved in the old surveys targeting Donald Trump, denouncing a “purge” orchestrated by the president as “reprisals “. If this has so far did not slow down the new American president, he will have to fight to achieve his ends.