Skip to Main ContentKash Patel Files $250 Million Lawsuit Against The AtlanticFBI Director Kash Patel on Monday sued The Atlantic and its journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick just a few days after it published a report detailing allegations of his "excessive drinking and unexplained absences."The Trump Cabinet member claims that the outlet "crossed the legal line” by publishing an article Friday "replete with false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office."Patel is seeking $250 million in damages.Patel had threatened to take the step, telling Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo on Sunday that he would sue the outlet for defamation."We are not going to take this laying down," he said. "You want to attack my character, come at me. Bring it on. I'll see you in court." The Atlantic's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg previously told HuffPost that the publication stands by its reporting.See All UpdatesClose