'Only a matter of time': Politico pinpoints Trump official likely on the chopping block

FBI Director Kash Patel is likely next on the White House chopping block, according to reports coming out of Washington, D.C. “It’s only a matter of time,” an anonymous official told Politico's Dasha Burns. Patel's drinking has become a focal point recently, accusations he denies, but Burns wrote on X that "there are several reasons" why Trump wants Patel out of his cabinet."Top among them is the number of negative stories centered on Patel," according to Burns. The anonymous official told her that it's “not a good look for a Cabinet secretary,” and Trump is tired of the distraction he's causing.Patel has been dogged by controversy since taking over the FBI in February 2025. The Atlantic reported he alarmed colleagues with excessive drinking and unexplained absences — including a "freak-out" in which he mistook a routine IT error for a firing. He sued The Atlantic for $250 million over the story, then watched a separate defamation lawsuit get thrown out this week. He has also faced scrutiny for reportedly using FBI jets to visit his girlfriend, assigning her a SWAT security detail, and ordering polygraph tests on bureau officials to find out who had said negative things about him. The Intercept reported this week he previously admitted to two alcohol-related arrests.