Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s hand-picked FBI Director, is under fire after his bungled handling of the shocking shooting of right-wing firebrand Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University this week. The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, is now in custody but it wasn’t thanks to Patel’s leadership. Instead, it was Robinson’s own father who tipped off police, according to NBC News.
Even worse? Kash Patel has become an internet punchline after his awkward and clueless appearance at press conferences. During a briefing with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, cameras caught Patel fidgeting, shifting, and looking lost in the background. Social media erupted. “No idea where to go & what to do. Get out of the way Dufus,” joked one Threads user. Another comment read, “He had no clue!”
One viewer had the perfect response. “I love that no one is paying any attention to him.” But Patel’s real humiliation came earlier. Just hours after Kirk’s tragedy, Patel posted a premature victory lap online. It claimed the shooter had been caught. “The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody,” he said. Hours later, he had to backtrack: “The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues.”
The embarrassing misstep drew fierce criticism. “This is our FBI Director. He’s a podcaster assigned to the FBI,” one social media user commented. Critics say Kash Patel set himself up for failure by firing career FBI staffers, including Utah’s top official, leaving himself surrounded by rookies. As one Threads user, David J. McCarthy, wrote, “If nothing else, it’s pretty obvious that Kash is in the throes of a well-deserved bout of imposter syndrome.”
The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency https://t.co/YXsG6YpFR5
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 10, 2025
At Friday’s press conference, Patel tried to reclaim the spotlight. He said, “This is what happens when you let good cops be cops… historic investigation… record 33 hours.”
But social media wasn’t buying it. “My dude, you arrested the wrong person TWICE,” one user clapped back. “His own dad turned him in before you even knew what state he was in.” Another added with brutal sarcasm, “Despite arresting the wrong guy twice, not locking down the airport, allowing the crime scene to get compromised… they still managed to arrest the shooter in under 32 hours. But at least they managed to put the handcuffs on correctly.”
Governor of Utah, “I was praying that it was an immigrant.”
The USA is a hellhole, to smear immigrants like this on stage in front of the whole country when they had nothing to do with it.
This is disgusting.pic.twitter.com/7xRo7KkYK4
— BladeoftheSun (@BladeoftheS) September 12, 2025
And then came Gov. Cox’s jaw-dropping remark. He admitted he’d prayed for 33 hours that the killer wasn’t from Utah. “We’re not like that,” he said. Viewers immediately called it out. “Wow, that’s a racist thing to say,” one said. The most viral moment? Patel’s body language as Cox made the remark. “Zoom in on Kash even he’s thinking w–,” joked one viewer. Another added, “He’s talking about you in the back …sir.”
Right now, Kash Patel is facing the wrath of the internet and the perception that he has no idea how to do his job.
