As rumors of his possible dismissal swirl, FBI Director Kash Patel used a wide-ranging new interview to highlight both the achievements of the Trump administration – and tease the release of UFO-related government files.
During an episode of Sean Hannity’s podcast released on Tuesday, the 46-year-old bureau chief delved into subjects like alien files, burn bags and artificial intelligence.
“[Trump] stood up an interagency process with the Department of War leading that effort to get out the documentation,” Patel told the Fox News host, referring to the president’s February executive order instructing agencies to release government records on unidentified aerial phenomena and extraterrestrial life.
“They’re going to be publicly releasing this information very soon. We are all for it,” he added.
To date, the government has yet to release new information on aliens or UFOs, though Trump hinted this week that some “very interesting” documents could soon be made public.
Patel also spoke about his use of artificial intelligence, claiming that the emerging technology has helped reduce crime.
“AI was never used at the FBI until we got there,” he said. “I’m using it everywhere…We stopped a school massacre in North Carolina because we got a tip and we were able to triage it with artificial intelligence.”
Elsewhere in the nearly two-hour interview, Patel told Hannity he had uncovered an FBI “burn bag” linked to the agency’s “Russiagate” investigation — a claim he has made previously.
“It’s basically a large paper bag that you use to destroy and literally shred and burn classified information,” the director said. “So we not only found burn bags in a room that was locked away in FBI headquarters…the room was also off the map. It wasn’t on our blueprint.”
The documents in question are related to the FBI’s probe into whether Russia influenced the 2016 election — an investigation that Trump repeatedly described as a “witch hunt.” Patel said he found the files in August 2025.
The interview comes as Patel, a former public defender, faces reports he could be fired by the Republican president.
“It’s only a matter of time,” an unnamed White House official told Politico last week, when speaking of the FBI director. The official said that the wave of negative headlines surrounding Patel is “not a good look for a Cabinet secretary.”
Patel’s 14-month tenure has been marked by persistent controversy, including over allegations that he used government jets for personal travel and assigned a SWAT detail to his girlfriend.
An FBI spokesperson previously refuted allegations against Patel to The Independent. The director has defended himself on social media, calling the criticism “baseless” and vowing to stay “laser-focused” on “rebuilding this Bureau from the ground up.”
He faced further scrutiny earlier this month when The Atlantic reported that Patel had allegedly been prone to bouts of “conspicuous inebriation” and had been missing for “unexplained absences.” Patel vehemently denied this account, and sued the outlet for defamation.
The Independent has contacted the FBI and the White House for comment.
