Kash Patel Leaves Rep Houlahan at a Loss [WATCH]

FBI Director Kash Patel faced intense questioning during his testimony before Congress on Wednesday, with a standout moment coming when he shut down Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) after she attempted to push for an investigation into the recent leak involving the Trump administration’s military plans.

The controversy erupted this week after Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, claimed he was “accidentally” added to a secure Signal group chat involving National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and other Trump administration officials.

According to Goldberg, the group discussed sensitive military operations against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, which he described as “war plans.”

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Goldberg later took screenshots of the conversation and leaked the details, attempting to highlight what he suggested were sensitive national security matters.

Goldberg’s actions drew a sharp rebuttal from Team Trump, who accused the journalist of lying, asserting that no war plans were discussed.

However, Goldberg and his colleague Shane Harris doubled down by publishing further details about the military operations, but their efforts only seemed to backfire, as it became clear that the so-called “war plans” were not, in fact, what Goldberg had originally suggested.

Goldberg had initially referred to the leaked information as “war plans” for maximum media attention but later shifted his language, calling them “attack plans.”

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The dispute over the leak became a focal point during Patel’s testimony on Capitol Hill. Rep. Houlahan, seeking to exploit the situation for political gain, pressed Patel on whether the FBI should open an investigation into the matter.

She asked, “Now that another day has passed, do you think it’s time for the FBI to open an investigation [into the leak]?”

Patel, sticking to his professional approach, refused to comment on the matter. “I’m not going to comment on that,” he responded.

Unwilling to accept his answer, Houlahan pushed further, questioning Patel’s refusal to weigh in as the head of the FBI.

“Because you’re the director of the FBI, you don’t believe it’s appropriate to comment on that?” she asked.

Patel patiently explained the process behind investigations and the legal boundaries the FBI must adhere to.

“Because there’s a process in place. There’s ongoing litigation, and The National Security Council is reviewing this matter,” Patel stated.

“And I’m not going to discuss any open or closed investigations.”

Despite his clear explanation, Houlahan persisted, expressing frustration that Patel would not offer an opinion on the situation, even though the lawsuit had only just been filed.

“That ongoing investigation… The lawsuit literally happened today or yesterday afternoon,” Houlahan said.

“And the idea that you don’t have an opinion on this at this point is frustrating to me.”

At this point, Patel had enough. His sharp and professional response shut down the line of questioning: “No, it’s not. I’m not going to prejudge any matter, and the men and women of the FBI will call the balls and strikes. Not you,” he fired back.

Kash Patel just SHUT DOWN this leftist.

“I call the balls and strikes, NOT YOU.”

This is pure gold. pic.twitter.com/5yuLSU2wsN

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) March 26, 2025

Houlahan tried to regain control of the situation, but Patel’s expert handling of the exchange left her with no further questions, effectively ending the line of inquiry.

The moment underscored Patel’s ability to remain composed and focused on the law while dealing with political pressure from Democrats looking to exploit the situation.

The controversy surrounding the leak and Houlahan’s questioning is yet another example of the political gamesmanship playing out on Capitol Hill, with Democrats trying to leverage any controversy to undermine the Trump administration.

However, Patel’s performance demonstrated his commitment to following legal processes and refusing to be swayed by partisan demands for action.

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