Senator challenges Kash Patel to take test for problem drinking at fiery hearing on Capitol Hill

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Independent

Tuesday 12 May 2026 17:38 EDT


A Democratic senator challenged Kash Patel to take a test designed to identify problem drinking behavior on Tuesday amid angry exchanges at a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The FBI director’s visit to Capitol Hill was similar to many past showdowns between members of Donald Trump’s Cabinet and various congressional committees, with Patel disparaging the credibility of media reports about his personal life and management of the bureau, and slinging insults at his critics.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland told the FBI director that he did “not care” about what Patel does in his personal life save for when it affects his ability to do his job — then immediately launched into questions about reports in The Atlantic and other publications detailing concerns of senior FBI officials about Patel’s alleged drinking.

Calling the reports categorically false, the FBI director began shouting over Van Hollen and was at one point challenged by the senator to take the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) test to verify that his drinking habits did not rise to the level of problematic. "I'll take any test you're willing to take,” responded Patel. Van Hollen agreed, saying: “I will take it.”

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/van-hollen-patel-fbi-alcohol-b2975348.html

[Rhiannon12866]

1. Patel agrees to alcohol test amid scrutiny over 'excessive drinking' report - All In - MS NOW

FBI Director Kash Patel said he would take an alcohol-use screening test following a tense exchange with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who joins the show to react. - Aired on 05/12/2026.

[agingdem]

2. Kash came into the hearing with his very own "burn book"...

when he wasn't deflecting, he was passing the buck (not his department blah blah)...when Van Hollen brought up Patel's excessive drinking, he did what alcoholics in denial do ..he became enraged and resorted to the childish "I know I am, but so are you" screech....except here's the thing about Chris Van Hollen...he experienced a minor stroke in 2022 and recovered..however anyone who has experienced a stroke, even a minor stroke, knows drinking is on the no-no list...so when the Senator refused to back down, Patel finally agreed to take the alcohol screening test...which we all know will never happen...