FBI Director Kash Patel was roasted after a photograph showed what he wrote on a note to himself during contentious testimony before the House of Representatives last week.
Throughout his testimony, Patel faced questions from Democrats about the FBI's handling of the investigation into the Epstein files as well as the bureau's crackdown on critics of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated two weeks ago.
And to stay on message, he wrote a note to himself that went viral after it was captured by Getty Images photographer Win McNamee.
In particular, it includes a reminder for him to have a "good fight" with California Representative Eric Swalwell, one of President Donald Trump's more prominent critics.
It reads:
“Good fight with Swalwell. Hold the line. Brush off their attacks. Rise above the next line of partisan attacks.”
You can see it below.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Patel's little pep talk to himself exposed him to significant mockery.
Patel did indeed stonewall lawmakers during the hearing—and did get into it with Swalwell, so you could argue he kept his promises to himself no matter how foolish he looked.
Notably, he stunned observers after he chose to recite the alphabet to avoid answering a question from Swalwell about whether or he told Attorney General Pam Bondi that Trump's name is in the Epstein files.
When Swalwell asked Patel whether he told Bondi that Trump's name is in the files, Patel replied that he and Bondi "have had numerous discussions about the entirety of the Epstein files and the reviews conducted by our teams."
An undeterred Swalwell told Patel that "the question is simple" but Patel declined to answer numerous times and later said, "Why don't you try spelling it out?" before launching into the ABCs. Swalwell later said he would take Patel's refusal to answer "as a consciousness of guilt."
