Kash Patel, Trump’s pick for FBI director, made at least $2.6M from consulting, media deals

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick for FBI director, made at least $2.6 million in the past year from consulting, media appearances, speaking fees and book deals, his latest financial disclosure shows.

Patel’s main source of income — accounting for more than $2.1 million — was national security, defense, and intelligence consulting through his firm Trishul LLC, according to the disclosure.

Among his clients were Trump’s social media company Trump Media & Technology Group, the Embassy of Qatar, and Czech financial services company CSGM — though the disclosure doesn’t say how much he received from each client.

CGSM has come under scrutiny from some Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance during his time in the Senate, for allegedly maintaining close ties to the Russian government. A CGSM executive told the Wall Street Journal in 2024 that “any speculation” about his firm’s connection to Moscow “should be considered nonsense.”

Patel also provided consultation services to former Trump White House Communications Director Hope Hicks’ firm Cavender Consultants, former Trump National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien’s firm American Global Strategies, and Trump’s leadership PAC Save America.

He earned $165,000 in contributor fees from Performance One Media, $99,000 in contributor fees from the Epoch Times, and a total of $57,000 from speaking engagements at events hosted by groups including Our Watch, the Libertarian National Committee, Citizens Defending Freedom and Global Tree Pictures.

He also earned between $145,000 and $1.2 million from book deals, including his book “Government Gangsters” and his “Plot Against the King” series.

Patel disclosed owning a variety of assets, including up to $5 million worth of stock in the fashion and skin care retail company EliteDepot and up to $250,000 worth of stock in the tactical gear company VK Integrated Systems.

His stock holdings also include up to $250,000 in chip-designer NVIDIA, up to $250,000 in Bitcoin mining company Core Scientific, and up to $115,000 in a Bitcoin ETF.

In the ethics agreement he signed as part of his nomination, Patel stated that he will relinquish his consulting firm and his media appearance firm while serving as FBI director if confirmed to the role.

He also said he will resign or has already resigned from positions including his positions at Trump Media and Technology Group, the Kash Patel Foundation and the Epoch Times, while keeping some of his consulting entities like Trishul LLC and Dal Forno LLC dormant during his time in the federal government.