ToplineFBI Director Kash Patel hit back at a report in The Atlantic that claimed he drinks excessively and is frequently absent, based on conversations with more than two dozen anonymous sources, calling it “fake news” and when pressed during an interview, promised to file a lawsuit against the magazine on Monday.A report in The Atlantic cited allegations from dozens of unnamed sources that FBI Director Kash Patel drinks to excess and is often absent. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)Getty ImagesKey FactsIn a post on X Saturday afternoon, Patel called the piece “fake news,” adding, “the only time I’ll ever actually be concerned about the hit piece lies you write about me will be when you stop. Keep talking, it means I’m doing exactly what I should be doing.”Patel said no amount of “BS” news outlets write “will ever deter this FBI from making America safe again.”In response to The Atlantic’s request for comment, the FBI threatened to sue over the allegations in the story, saying, “Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court—bring your checkbook.”Before making his own post, Patel reshared a post from Erica Knight, whom CBS News previously reported is Patel’s longtime publicist, which said the alleged intoxication incidents happened “ZERO times” and that Patel has taken a total of 17 days off since taking office, which she says is less than half of his predecessors.Patel repeated his threats to sue The Atlantic on Sunday, telling Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, who pressed him on the timing, that a defamation lawsuit was “coming tomorrow.”The FBI director framed the suit as part of President Donald Trump’s war on the media, which has included lawsuits and settlements with major news organizations, claiming “our leaders that get attacked under his brilliant leadership must do the same.”What Did The Atlantic Story On Kash Patel Say?The Atlantic published a report detailing allegations of excessive drinking and frequent absences against Patel Friday night, based on conversations with more than two dozen unnamed sources, including current and former FBI officials, law enforcement staff, members of Congress and former advisors, among others. The report says Patel’s behavior has “often alarmed officials at the FBI and the Department of Justice,” and some current and former FBI officials said they fear Patel’s behavior puts national security at war, particularly during a time of war. Six sources told The Atlantic meetings scheduled for the mornings early in Patel’s tenure had to be rescheduled because of his nights spent drinking, and security staffers had difficulty waking him on multiple occasions over the past year, according to information supplied to the Justice Department and White House. Multiple unnamed sources told The Atlantic a request for “breaching equipment,” usually used by SWAT teams to enter houses, was made last year because Patel had been unreachable. The Justice Department’s ethics handbook says “an employee is prohibited from habitually using alcohol or other intoxicants to excess,” The Atlantic reported.Key BackgroundThe Atlantic previously reported in early April that Trump was considering firing Patel, part of an apparent purge that had recently resulted in the firings of former Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The Atlantic’s Friday report says Patel is “deeply concerned that his job is in jeopardy,” citing former officials who remain close to him. “We’re all just waiting for the word” Patel is out, one FBI official told The Atlantic this week. Chief CriticsSome Democrats criticized or mocked Patel following The Atlantic’s report. The press office account for California Gov. Gavin Newsom, which often mimics President Donald Trump’s over-the-top style, made a post on X early Saturday of an AI-generated video depicting a drunken Patel being carried by his security detail. “JUST SEEN: KASH’S NIGHT OUT!” the post says. In a post Saturday morning, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged Patel to resign, calling him an “out of control imbecile completely unfit to serve as FBI Director.”Further ReadingThe FBI Director Is MIA (The Atlantic)