FBI Director Kash Patel and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., clashed sharply Tuesday during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the bureau's budget, hurling accusations of alcohol abuse and day-drinking at one another in a confrontation that ended with both agreeing to submit to a drinking test.
Van Hollen opened his remarks by citing reports of Patel being so intoxicated that staff had to force entry into his home. "If true, they represent a gross dereliction of your duty," the Maryland senator said.
Patel rejected the claims outright, calling them "a total farce." When Van Hollen referenced reporting from The Atlantic about Patel's alleged drinking and absences, Patel countered that he would not be "tarnished by baseless allegations and fraudulent statements from the media."
The exchange then escalated sharply. Patel accused Van Hollen of being "the only individual drinking on the taxpayer's dime," then pivoted to specifics. He invoked Van Hollen's April 2025 trip to El Salvador, where the senator met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man the administration said it had mistakenly deported. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele shared photos of the meeting showing drinks that resembled margaritas in front of the two men.
"Unlike your baseless reports, the only person that was slinging margaritas in El Salvador on the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gang-banging rapist was you," Patel said. Van Hollen has said he never consumed the drink. Abrego has not been convicted of gang membership or rape, though administration officials have accused him of MS-13 involvement, an allegation he denies. He faces trial on human trafficking charges.
Patel escalated further, claiming Van Hollen had run up a $7,000 bar tab at the Lobby Bar in Washington and was drinking during work hours. "This is the ultimate example of hypocrisy," Patel said.
Van Hollen's office responded that the charge was a catering expense for a holiday reception funded by campaign dollars, not taxpayer money. Patel later posted what he described as evidence of the charge on social media.
Later in the hearing, Van Hollen asked if Patel would submit to a drinking assessment used by active duty military personnel. Patel agreed immediately. "I'll take any test you're willing to take," he said. "Let's go. Side by side," he added as Van Hollen confirmed his willingness to participate.
Patel has previously denied the allegations detailed in The Atlantic article and filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the magazine in recent weeks, describing the story as a "sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece." The Atlantic has said it stands by its reporting and will defend against the lawsuit.
After the hearing, Van Hollen issued a statement saying Patel's behavior demonstrated he was unfit for his position. "He's a disgrace to the office he holds," the senator said.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The spectacle of two grown men squaring off over drinking allegations and margarita diplomacy suggests the real problem is neither of them is taking the job seriously."
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