Archive · 16 Sep 2026
Patel Says FBI Stopped 1,100 Potential Terrorist Attacks
FBI Director Kash Patel told lawmakers that the FBI stopped 1,100 people from carrying out terrorist attacks in the United States.
He also said the agency arrested 4,260 people connected to foreign terrorist organizations.
Patel said these arrests were higher than during the previous 18-month period.
He described several alleged plots that agents stopped in different parts of the country.
The FBI also increased its use of fingerprints, facial information, iris scans and artificial intelligence, according to Patel.
He said the agency cleared a large backlog of DNA samples.
Some senators praised the FBI's work against terrorism and violent crime.
Other senators said Patel was using the agency to support President Donald Trump's political goals.
FBI Director Kash Patel told senators that the agency stopped 1,100 people from carrying out terrorist attacks in the United States during the past 18 months.
Patel said the FBI arrested 4,260 people linked to foreign terrorist organizations, a 38 percent increase over the previous 18-month period.
He cited arrests tied to alleged plots near the White House, in Michigan and in Pittsburgh, along with four attacks reportedly stopped in December.
Patel said the FBI expanded biometric data collection, increased artificial-intelligence use and cleared a backlog of 1.8 million DNA samples.
Democratic senators criticized Patel, alleging that he redirected FBI resources toward President Donald Trump's political priorities.
- Who
- FBI Director Kash Patel, FBI personnel, Senate Judiciary Committee members and people arrested in alleged terrorism-related cases.
- What
- Patel reported that the FBI stopped 1,100 potential attackers and arrested 4,260 people linked to foreign terrorist organizations during the past 18 months.
- When
- During the 18 months before Patel's Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing; Patel also referred to operations in December of the previous year.
- Where
- The reported threats and arrests involved the United States, including areas near the White House, Michigan, Pittsburgh, California, Texas, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
- Why
- Patel said the FBI and its partners identified and disrupted threats, while Democratic senators argued that the bureau's resources were being directed toward President Trump's political priorities.
FBI Leadership and Republican Supporters
Democratic Critics
FBI performance
FBI Leadership and Republican Supporters
Patel said the FBI and its partners worked continuously to identify and stop terrorist plots, while Chairman Charles Grassley cited increases in criminal and violent-crime arrests.
Democratic Critics
Senator Richard Durbin said Patel's leadership was failing and that decades of FBI modernization and reform efforts were being undone.
Use of FBI resources
FBI Leadership and Republican Supporters
Patel presented counterterrorism arrests, international cooperation, biometric collection and technology use as efforts to protect Americans and prevent attacks.
Democratic Critics
Durbin accused Patel of directing FBI resources toward President Donald Trump's political priorities and away from other criminal and national-security investigations.
Role of the bureau
FBI Leadership and Republican Supporters
Patel said the FBI was bringing violent offenders, terrorists, narcotics traffickers, gang members and child predators back to the United States for prosecution.
Democratic Critics
Durbin alleged that the bureau had been reshaped into a political weapon against Trump's opponents and a shield for the president's supporters.
- Potential attacks stopped
- 1,100, according to Kash Patel
- Foreign terrorist organization-related arrests
- 4,260 during the past 18 months
- Reported increase in such arrests
- 38 percent compared with the preceding 18-month period
- December operations
- Patel said four terrorist attacks were stopped in California, Texas, North Carolina and Pennsylvania
- DNA backlog
- The FBI said it eliminated a backlog of 1.8 million DNA samples at its Quantico laboratory
- Artificial-intelligence test cases
- The number increased from two to 140 since Patel took office
- International transfers
- Patel said 86 suspects were transferred into U.S. custody and 157 others were extradited