"The head of the FBI is just hanging out?”
FBI Director Kash Patel is facing fresh scrutiny for his apparent lack of action following the third assassination attempt on President Donald Trump.
Shots were fired near the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 25, where Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several Cabinet officials were present.
No one was injured and a suspect was arrested.
However, footage captured by ABC News journalist Linsey Davis showed Patel standing outside the venue shortly after a man exchanged gunfire with Secret Service agents.
The footage prompted criticism over the FBI director’s apparent lack of urgency during the unfolding security incident.
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Right-wing political commentator Eric Spracklen posted:
“Kash Patel standing around outside after the shooting like a random attendee and not the literal FBI Director is actually crazy.”
Another said: “Kash have zero clue what to do.”
Another video showed Patel sitting inside the video, looking stunned while security responded.
A comment read: “There is a shooting and… The head of the FBI is just hanging out?”
It was reported that Patel was escorted out of the Hilton Washington through the front lobby at 10:02 pm, around 90 minutes after the first shots were fired.
Later that evening, Patel joined Trump and other senior officials for a press conference at the White House, where he confirmed the FBI was examining shell casings recovered from the scene and interviewing witnesses from the dinner.
He also appealed for members of the public with information to come forward.
During the briefing, Patel praised Trump’s support for law enforcement.
“You give them the resources that they need, and you know, they know that you have their back, and that is a changing dynamic in this country.”
There is a shooting and…
The head of the FBI is just hanging out? pic.twitter.com/jrIKMYhHte— Earth Hippy ???? (@hippyygoat) April 26, 2026
Authorities believe the suspect attempted to reach the ballroom where Trump had been seated alongside First Lady Melania Trump.
Between five and eight shots were fired before Trump, Vance, and multiple Cabinet officials were quickly escorted from the venue.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said investigators believe the suspect, identified in reports as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, was “targeting administration officials.”
Jeff Carroll, interim chief of the DC Metropolitan Police Department, said the suspect was carrying a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives.
Allen is expected to face one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.
The viral videos add to growing criticism around Kash Patel’s handling of major security events.
In February, he was criticised after attending Team USA’s Winter Olympics celebrations in Milan on the same day an armed intruder was shot outside Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
Footage from the event showed Patel leading locker-room celebrations, joining chants, drinking beers with players, and calling Trump directly.
Patel has also recently launched a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic after the publication reported, citing more than two dozen anonymous sources, that he had a drinking problem severe enough to “threaten national security,” alongside allegations of erratic and paranoid behaviour.
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