Podcast Summary: What A Day

Episode: How NOT To Run The FBI
Date: September 18, 2025
Host: Jane Coaston, Crooked Media

Overview

This episode, hosted by Jane Coaston, focuses on the tumult within the FBI under Director Kash Patel’s leadership, framed by his controversial handling of the high-profile assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Jane interviews former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe to break down what the FBI should do—and what Patel isn’t doing. The episode also touches on the wider implications of political interference in federal law enforcement, transparency in ongoing investigations, and the long-term consequences for the Bureau’s morale and mission. Other news highlights include major moves at the Federal Reserve, vaccine policy shake-ups under Health Secretary RFK Jr., and President Trump’s state visit to the UK.

Main Theme

Disarray in the FBI under Director Kash Patel, highlighted by his political approach, controversial public communication, and the agency’s shifting priorities—all against the backdrop of a highly public investigation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jimmy Kimmel Censorship and the Shifting Media Landscape

• [00:02] Jane opens by noting the Trump administration’s threats to media freedom, citing FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s proposition to penalize networks airing content critical of the president.
  • Notable event: ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel Live after Kimmel’s remarks about Trump and the shooting of Charlie Kirk.
  • “Interesting timing. We’ll be revisiting this on today’s show.” — Jane Coaston [00:44]

2. FBI Leadership under Kash Patel: Competency and Priorities

A. The Kirk Assassination Investigation

• Jane summarizes Patel’s controversial tenure, emphasizing his lack of law enforcement experience.
  • “Kash Patel was clearly not nominated … because of his deep grasp on the many issues facing federal law enforcement.” — Jane Coaston [01:13]
• Guest: Andrew McCabe (Former FBI Deputy Director)
  • Good tactical work “on the ground,” but leadership failures hampered efficiency.
  • Missed Opportunities: Faster public sharing of suspect’s photograph could’ve led to a quicker apprehension.
  • “The idea of crowdsourcing the identification … is really something we stumbled into in the Boston Marathon investigation.” — McCabe [04:15]
  • Criticism of Patel claiming to “make monumental decisions” on his own—“a gross exaggeration … unfairly putting himself in the spotlight.” [05:18]

B. FBI’s Role in Prosecution

• McCabe clarifies the FBI’s role: provide evidence and potentially identify motives, but prosecution decisions rest with the state (and sometimes federal authorities).
  • “You can be charged for the same activity at the state level and at the federal level because they are considered to be separate sovereigns.” — McCabe [06:43]

3. Director Patel’s Problematic Approach to Public Communication

A. Patel’s “Live-Tweeting” Disaster

• Patel frequently tweets during live investigations, sometimes misleading the public (e.g., premature custody announcement in Kirk case).
  • “He tweeted that a subject was in custody … but that’s not what subject means.” — Jane [07:16]
• McCabe’s Take:
  • “He’s rationalizing what he wants to do … that is dangerous and not productive.” — McCabe [08:01]
  • Highlights risks: jeopardizing investigations, misleading the public, prejudicing jury pools, and violating DOJ norms.
  • “I can’t think of a single FBI director other than Mr. Patel who would have engaged in that sort of behavior.” — McCabe [09:51]

B. Community Fallout

• Jane notes the real-world impact: “I can imagine people seeing that and thinking, oh my gosh, I feel so much safer … and then 90 minutes later, nope…” [09:38]
  • McCabe agrees: “Bad idea, bad idea for all those reasons.” [09:51]

4. Partisanship and Internal Turmoil

A. Congressional Testimony & Public Perception

• Patel clashed with Congressional Democrats (notably Rep. Jamie Raskin), mocked for his lack of experience:
  • “You did write a picture book trilogy for children ages 5 and up based on your experience clashing with President Trump’s political enemies.” — Rep. Raskin [10:43]
• McCabe decries Patel’s behavior as “intensely partisan … not debatable,” harming the Bureau’s reputation and compliance with Congressional oversight.
  • “I’ve never, ever seen anyone be as aggressive, as disrespectful, as impertinent as Kash Patel on the Hill. I think it’s a disgrace.” — McCabe [12:45]

B. Internal Purges and Loyalty Tests

• Patel has purged senior agents, required loyalty oaths, and split the workforce—moves McCabe calls “corrosive, divisive … an organization will take decades to recover from.” [15:19]
  • “He fired all the eads in his first week … submitted leaders to loyalty tests and polygraph examinations … things that have never happened in the FBI before.” — McCabe [14:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Patel's Lack of Institutional Knowledge:
  • “Head of the FBI. You probably know this. If you don’t know, that’s fine. You can give me a reminder.” — Jane Coaston [02:23]
• On Social Media Habits:
  • “He was some sort of a … social media personality, I guess. And he has brought that habit … into the office that is dangerous and not productive.” — McCabe [08:01]
• On the Bureau's Future:
  • “Those decisions will drop an ax into the center of this organization. It will carve a gulf in the FBI ... it is the sort of corrosive, divisive thing that an organization will take decades to recover from.” — McCabe [15:19]

Important Timestamps

• 00:02–01:13: Episode opening; media censorship dispute; the context for Jimmy Kimmel’s show being pulled.
• 01:13–02:30: Jane’s overview of Kash Patel’s qualifications and intro to the FBI topic.
• 02:30–03:35: Jane introduces and welcomes Andrew McCabe to discuss the Kirk assassination investigation.
• 05:17–06:34: McCabe on leadership failings and credit-taking in the Kirk investigation.
• 07:16–10:32: Discussion of Patel’s problematic communication style and its real-world consequences.
• 10:32–13:30: Examination of Patel’s partisanship, lack of oversight respect, and Congressional confrontations.
• 13:30–16:04: McCabe on internal purges, loyalty tests, and lasting harm to the FBI.
• 16:09: Interview wrap; transition to additional headlines.

Additional Headlines (Briefly Noted)

• Federal Reserve Cuts Interest Rate:
  First rate cut in 9 months, driven by “bleak” employment and inflation numbers. Black unemployment is surging—now double the white unemployment rate. [18:39]
• CDC Upheaval Under RFK Jr.:
  Dr. Susan Menarez testifies to being fired for refusing to pre-approve vaccine guidance and gagged from speaking to Senators. Western states now issue their own vaccine guidance in defiance of federal policy. [20:15–23:55]
• Trump’s State Visit to the UK:
  Highlights from a lavish state visit, including bombastic remarks from Trump and a jokey exchange with King Charles III. [23:55–26:04]

Episode Tone

Jane Coaston maintains an analytical, incisive, and occasionally sardonic tone, pressing for clarity and pointing out absurdities in the current administration. Andrew McCabe is candid, direct, and deeply concerned about the politicization and future viability of the FBI.

Conclusion

This episode provides an unflinching look at the current mismanagement and politicization of the FBI under Kash Patel, highlighted through a detailed, expert conversation with Andrew McCabe. Listeners get a clear picture of how transparency, public trust, and agency morale are being compromised, with worrying long-term consequences for national law enforcement.