Kash Patel to travel in $480,000 BMW to look ‘less conspicuous’, ex-official calls it ‘embarrassment’ for FBI

FBI Director Kash Patel has come under a fresh controversy, this time over the reports that his agency purchased luxury armoured BMW vehicles for his official travel. This came amid an ongoing investigation into Patel’s alleged misuse of taxpayer funds. As per a report by Forbes, quoting MS Now, the FBI purchased an unspecified number of armoured BMW X5S at Patel’s request. The organisation later confirmed the purchase of the car and said the vehicles were intended to make the FBI director less “conspicuous" while travelling. Traditionally, FBI directors travel in Chevrolet Suburbans.

Former Justice Department official Stacey Young described the move as “an embarrassment," saying it reflected poorly on the agency’s leadership. FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson, in defence of the purchase, said that the BMWs were more cost-effective than other upgraded vehicles the agency could have bought.

Although there is no official confirmation on the cost of the vehicle, unofficial sources have said that the agency must have purchased the car for $480,000.

The woman's jacket row

Earlier, Patel and Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell got into a verbal fight on the internet after the latter called out Patel over his FBI jacket. This came amid the controversies around Patel, including the claim that he is dating an Israeli spy. The showdown between Patel and Swalwell started over a report that claimed Patel threw tantrums when he went to Utah immediately after Charlie Kirk's assassination.

A recent report claimed that Patel did not have his FBI jacket with him, and he was not ready to get off the plane without his jacket. And in the end, he wore a woman officer's jacket. "I don’t mind that FBI Director Kash Patel had to wear a women’s (size medium) jacket to cosplay as someone in charge. I just wish he’d focus on stopping the rampant domestic terrorism happening on his watch," Eric Swalwell wrote, reacting to the report.