<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/usa-jeffrey-epstein-files-kash-patel-fbi/1d498445-f6fa-4410-a280-d732fb60b25a" rel="" target="" title="FBI Director Kash Patel"><span>FBI Director Kash Patel</span></a><span> is suing magazine </span><em><span>The Atlantic</span></em><span> for $US250 million (A$348 million) over reports of his alleged drunkenness.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The article published last week referenced instances of Patel's excessive alcohol consumption impacting his job.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But in a lawsuit filed today against the magazine and journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick, Patel described the article as a "sweeping, malicious and defamatory hit piece".</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-navy-food-shortages-uss-abraham-lincoln-uss-tripoli-blockade-strait-of-hormuz-pete-hegseth-iran/e5db289a-18fd-4b03-82e2-a01d5f1d12f3"><strong><span>US Navy denies food shortages after grim photos emerge</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Fitzpatrick could not get a single person to go on the record in defence of these outrageous allegations, instead relying entirely on anonymous sources she knew to be both highly partisan with an axe to grind and also not in a position to know the facts," the lawsuit read. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Defendants published the Article with actual malice, despite being expressly warned, hours before publication, that the central allegations were categorically false."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>The Atlantic</span></em><span> reported that unnamed officials in the Trump administration were concerned alcohol was behind Patel sharing false information about investigations, including the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/charlie-kirk-shooter-everything-we-know-explained/35ccdc1c-5a7d-47b9-9dd4-31167612bcc4" rel="" target="" title="alleged murder of Charlie Kirk"><span>alleged murder of Charlie Kirk</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/fbi-director-kash-patel-sues-the-atlantic-drunkeness-lawsuit-250-million-dollars/722f8c20-a1ed-45ed-879c-f5565f878170" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Patel had falsely claimed in the hours after Kirk's death that the suspect was in custody.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He had also announced a "person of interest" was in custody after a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/brown-university-mit-shooting-usa-claudio-neves-valente-nuno-loureiro-reddit/114d165e-a1fa-40f0-9e10-fee12a47faa4" rel="" target="" title="shooting at Brown University"><span>shooting at Brown University</span></a><span>. That person was quickly released when it was determined they were innocent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-irs-lawsuit-suing-10-billion-dollars-tax-office-usa-politics-news/929663f2-f255-4936-8084-1d986ee08d65" rel="" target="" title="Trump nears deal that could see him given $14b in taxpayer money"><strong><span>Trump nears deal that could see him given $14b in taxpayer money</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>The Atlantic</span></em><span> also reported Patel's security detail had difficulty waking him "because he was seemingly intoxicated" on multiple occasions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When he was asked for comment by </span><em><span>The Atlantic</span></em><span>, he responded: "Print it, all false, I'll see you in court—bring your chequebook".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His lawsuit also detailed "historic law enforcement achievements" of the FBI during his tenure as director.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Patel was also criticised after footage emerged of him skolling a beer in the locker room with the </span><a href="https://www.9now.com.au/ice-hockey-olympic-winter-games-milano-cortina-2026" rel="" target="" title="gold-medal winning USA ice hockey team"><span>gold-medal winning USA ice hockey team</span></a><span> at the Olympics in February.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The footage also shows him spraying the beer around the room as he celebrated with the team.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Questions were asked about why Patel was at the Olympics on what was officially a work trip.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title="President Donald Trump"><span>President Donald Trump</span></a><span>, who appointed Patel to the position, was reportedly upset with the footage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump himself does not drink.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-jessica-tarlov-least-attractive-reporter-fox-the-five-usa-news/caa7a980-abb3-4c7f-a907-844a967b6ecc"><strong><span>Trump calls presenter 'least attractive', demands she be taken off TV</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The president has been prolific in suing major media outlets in his second term for publishing unflattering articles about him.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-wall-street-journal-lawsuit-dismissed-florida-judge-jeffrey-epstein-letter-usa-news/89dbfad3-ffe3-49ac-9463-0067409cca42" rel="" target="" title="He sued the Wall Street Journal"><span>He sued the </span><em><span>Wall Street Journal</span></em></a><span> for $14 billion over their reporting of his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The lawsuit was dismissed last week.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The newspaper reported that </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-friendship-wall-street-journal-birthday-card-message-usa-news/57c8d6c9-e06e-4969-a798-d4135cb9da82" rel="" target="" title=""><span>Trump wrote a letter to Epstein for his 50th birthday</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The letter was framed by a sketch of what appeared to be a naked woman with Trump's signature in place of pubic hair.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The letter was written in the form of a dialogue between "Donald" and "Jeffrey".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?" Donald says in the script.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The birthday book had been compiled by Epstein's accomplice </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/ghislaine-maxwell"><span>Ghislaine Maxwell</span></a><span>, and featured contributions from other powerful friends of the paedophile.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump had denied to the </span><em><span>Wall Street Journal</span></em><span> that he had written the letter, and insisted that it never existed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A $22 billion lawsuit against the </span><em><span>New York Times</span></em><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/florida-federal-judge-tosses-trumps-15b-defamation-lawsuit-against-the-new-york-times/c0bc2310-d2e5-4366-a67a-125506cfdc57"><span>was tossed by a different Florida judge</span></a><span> in September last year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lawsuits against ABC News and the CBS show 60 Minutes were both settled out of court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-joe-kent-wife-died-hired-national-counterterrorism-centre-usa-news/d1e2182e-8f9c-413e-8954-a26be6e4105c"><strong><span>Trump said he appointed counterterrorism official because his wife died</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>