FBI Increases Polygraph Testing Amid Loyalty Crackdown Under Director Kash Patel

Since Kash Patel took over as director of the FBI, the agency has dramatically expanded the use of polygraph tests among its senior officials.

In a shift from standard practice, some employees are now being questioned specifically about whether they have criticized Patel himself, signaling an increased focus on personal loyalty at the bureau’s highest levels.

Multiple sources familiar with recent practices report that dozens of FBI personnel have been subjected to lie detector tests, with at least some required to answer questions about negative comments regarding Patel.

The move is reportedly part of a broader campaign to curb leaks to the media and control the agency’s internal narrative. One high-profile case involved an investigation into disclosures about Patel’s unusual request for a service weapon, despite not being a field agent.

Former bureau officials and analysts have condemned the new direction, arguing that it erodes the FBI’s culture of dissent and impartiality.

“FBI employees swear loyalty to the Constitution, not the director,” said James Davidson, a former longtime agent, who called the new loyalty tests both politically charged and unprecedented.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s appointees have tightened their hold over the FBI, sidelining employees involved in investigations that clashed with conservative interests. Several respected officials have either resigned or been forced out, and nearly 40 percent of field office leadership positions have experienced turnover since the new leadership took over, according to internal estimates.

Notably, veteran intelligence analyst Tonya Ugoretz was recently placed on leave after being linked to the withdrawal of an intelligence report regarding alleged Chinese interference in the 2020 election. Her actions were supported by documentation highlighting concerns over the reliability of the source.

Amid the upheaval, loyalists to the new director have rapidly advanced. Will Rivers has risen from assistant director to the agency’s third-highest-ranking official, while Jake Hemme, a relatively new agent, now serves as Patel’s deputy chief of staff for policy.

The FBI declined to comment on these developments, citing personnel privacy.