Kash Patel has declared that arrests are on the horizon as part of what he describes as an extensive conspiracy related to the 2020 presidential election.

This assertion from the FBI director follows closely on the heels of significant controversy sparked by a scathing report that accused Patel of unpredictable behavior and excessive alcohol consumption.

In a Sunday morning appearance on Fox News, Patel emphasized that those responsible for allegedly manipulating the election in favor of former President Joe Biden will be held accountable.

“This is something I will never let go,” Patel stated when questioned about the 2020 election. “They attempted to manipulate the entire system, and I will not stand by.”

“Arrests are imminent. I assure you, they are coming soon,” he added.

The comments marked his most forceful public declaration yet, going beyond previous hints that the FBI had gathered evidence tied to President Donald Trump’s long-standing claims that the election was stolen. 

Such claims that have been repeatedly rejected by courts, election officials, and even Trump’s own Justice Department during his first term.

Patel stopped short of providing any specifics about the alleged evidence, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. 

But he insisted the material exists and suggested it is being folded into a broader conspiracy case being pursued alongside Department of Justice prosecutors under Attorney General Todd Blanche.

FBI Director Kash Patel said on Fox News that arrests related to a 2020 election conspiracy are imminent, stating: ‘It’s coming. I promise you it’s coming soon.’

Courts, election officials, and Trump’s own Justice Department previously rejected claims of widespread fraud that would have changed the 2020 outcome

‘We have the information that backs President Trump’s claim,’ Patel said earlier in the same interview. ‘I can’t get ahead of the DOJ and the president, but President Trump… speaks truthfully when he says that.’

‘Stay tuned this week. You might see a thing or two,’ he teased.

The extraordinary claims come at a moment of mounting pressure on Patel personally, following a bombshell report published by The Atlantic that painted a deeply troubling portrait of the FBI director’s conduct behind closed doors.

According to the report – based on interviews with more than two dozen current and former FBI officials – Patel has been ‘erratic, suspicious of others, and prone to jumping to conclusions before he has necessary evidence,’ with some sources describing his behavior as a potential ‘national-security vulnerability.’

The article alleged that meetings had to be rescheduled because Patel had been drinking the night before, and that concerns had been raised internally about whether alcohol may have contributed to missteps in high-profile investigations, including the aftermath of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Hours after the killing of the conservative activist in September 2025, Patel took to X to announce that the ‘subject’ in Kirk’s murder was finally ‘in custody.’ 

But he walked back his earlier statement shortly after, announcing that the suspect ‘has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement.’ 

It also claimed that staffers at one point struggled to reach Patel due to his alleged drinking, and that concerns within the bureau have intensified as his behavior grew more unpredictable. 

Patel made the remarks during an appearance on Sunday Morning. He claimed the FBI has gathered information that ‘backs President Trump’s claim’ about the 2020 election

The Atlantic report alleged that officials are increasingly alarmed about whether the FBI could respond to a national crisis like a terror attack with Patel at the helm

The Atlantic magazine published a report Friday alleging that officials are alarmed over FBI Director Kash Patel’s alleged excessive drinking 

On one occasion, staffers allegedly requested ‘breaching equipment’ used in SWAT raids and hostage situations to try and break down his door, according to The Atlantic.

Patel is known to enjoy alcohol and has frequently appeared visibly intoxicated at clubs in Washington and in his home city of Las Vegas. 

He reportedly also enraged the president after he was filmed chugging beer with the US men’s hockey team following their Olympic victory.

Fearing he was about to be fired by the Trump administration, he allegedly called aides and allies in panic – a reaction that, according to the report, quickly reached the White House. 

Officials told the outlet they are increasingly alarmed about whether the FBI could respond to a national crisis like a terror attack with Patel at the helm. 

‘That’s what keeps me up at night,’ an unnamed official told the publication.

Patel has categorically denied the allegations and is now preparing to take legal action.

‘You want to attack my character? Come at me. Bring it on. I’ll see you in court,’ he said on Sunday, confirming that a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic is expected to be filed.

Patel allegedly had a nervous breakdown after mistakenly believing he had been fired by the Trump administration due to a technical issue that left him locked out of a computer

Patel’s advisor Erica Knight released a statement on X stating that Patel has only taken off a ‘grand total of 17 days’ and has worked more than his predecessors

Patel dismissed the report as part of a broader media campaign against him, calling it the work of a ‘fake news mafia’ and arguing that such attacks are evidence the FBI is effectively doing its job.

‘If the fake news mafia isn’t hitting you personally with baseless information in Washington, D.C., then you’re not doing your job,’ Patel said.

In response to The Atlantic’s recent bombshell claims, Patel’s advisor Erica Knight released a pointed statement on X, calling it a story ‘that every real DC reporter chased, couldn’t verify, and passed on.’

‘Here’s reality. Since being sworn in, Director Patel has taken a grand total of 17 days off – half as much time off as Comey and Wray – and he spends twice as much time in the office as either of them ever did,’ Knight wrote.

‘The so-called ‘intoxication incidents’ The Atlantic breathlessly reports have happened exactly ZERO times,’ she added.

She went on to list statistics she said were achieved under Patel’s tenure, including 67,000 arrests nationwide and ‘2,200+ kilos of fentanyl seized – enough to kill 178 million Americans.’ Such claims have not been independently verified. 

The clash between Patel and The Atlantic has rapidly escalated into a high-stakes confrontation, with both sides digging in. 

The magazine’s reporter, Sarah Fitzpatrick, has publicly stood by her reporting, stating in an interview that she ‘stand[s] by every word of this reporting’ and emphasizing that it was based on extensive sourcing, including current and former FBI personnel.

Meanwhile, Patel’s legal team has accused the outlet of publishing ‘false, unsourced and facially defamatory’ claims, arguing that the reporting relied on vague and unattributed allegations.

In a disturbing revelation, an Army veteran who fatally shot his seven children and their cousin had previously expressed being overwhelmed by “dark thoughts.” According to a recent report, he confided in his stepfather, mentioning that some individuals “don’t come back from their demons” just weeks before the tragic incident.

Shamar Elkins, 31, is accused of killing eight children—five girls and three boys aged 3 to 11—and severely injuring two women, who are believed to be his wife and girlfriend. The shooting spree occurred in Shreveport following an argument with his spouse at approximately 6 a.m. on Sunday.

On Easter Sunday, a few weeks prior to the incident, Elkins had reached out to his mother, Mahelia Elkins, and his stepfather, Marcus Jackson. During the call, he expressed being engulfed by “dark thoughts,” having suicidal ideations, and mentioned that his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, desired a divorce, as reported by The New York Times.

“I told him, ‘You can overcome these challenges, no matter what you’re facing,'” Jackson recounted to the publication. “But he responded, ‘Some people don’t come back from their demons.'”

Mahelia Elkins reported being unaware of the specific issues her son and his wife, who were married in 2024 and had four children together, were experiencing, according to The Times.

But a relative of one of the wounded women said the couple was in the middle of separation proceedings and was due in court on Monday.

They had been arguing about their relationship coming to an end when Elkins — who was later killed by cops — opened fire, Crystal Brown told the Associated Press.

The killer father worked at UPS and served with the Louisiana Army National Guard from August 2013 to August 2020 as a signal support system specialist and fire support specialist, according to the Times.

A UPS coworker described Elkins as a devoted dad, but said he often seemed stressed and would pull his hair out, creating a lasting bald spot, the publication reported.

Elkins’ mother noted that she had reconnected with her son more than a decade ago after leaving him to be raised by a family friend, Betty Walker. She had Elkins when she was a teenager and struggling with a crack cocaine addiction.

Walker said that she did not witness the shootings on Sunday morning but knew that Elkins shot his wife several times in the head and stomach, the paper reported.

She last saw the deranged father when his family came over for dinner just last weekend — but noted he did not appear off at the time.

“I was getting up this morning to make myself some coffee, and I got the call,” Walker recalled. “My babies — my babies are gone.”

Elkins also had two previous convictions, including for driving while intoxicated in 2016 and for the illegal use of weapons in 2019, the outlet said.

In March 2019, a police report detailed that the National Guard vet had pulled a 9 millimeter handgun from his waistband and shot at a vehicle five times after a driver pulled a handgun on him — with one of the bullets being discovered near a school where children were playing.

The victims killed by Elkins have been identified as Jayla Elkins, 3; Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5. Seven of the eight were his own children, and the eighth was their cousin. They were all found dead inside their home in Shreveport.

Most of the victims were shot in the head while they slept, Shreveport Police Department spokesman Christopher Bordelon told NBC News.

One child was killed on the roof while trying to escape, police said.

Elkins, who was later killed by police during an attempted carjacking, also shot and wounded two women — the mothers of his children — during his murderous rage.

He shot his wife in the face at the home with the eight kids, Bordelon told the outlet. The other injured victim is believed to be Elkins’ girlfriend, who was shot in a separate house nearby, the police spokesperson added.

Elkins shared four of the slain children with his wife and three with the other injured woman, according to Brown.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.

In Illinois, communities were on edge Sunday as rising river levels heightened flooding fears. Some areas were forecasted to reach a major flood stage from Sunday night into the early hours of Monday.

While conditions remained dry on Sunday night, residents faced a bitter chill with Freeze Warnings and Frost Advisories issued throughout the Chicago region. Overnight temperatures were expected to plummet into the 20s in several locations.

Local residents prepared for the rivers to crest as they dealt with the ongoing effects of flooding that had persisted for several days. The situation was exacerbated by severe weather, with the National Weather Service confirming at least eight tornadoes touched down in northern Illinois during Friday night’s storms.

In Lake County, officials reported that water levels in the Fox and Des Plaines rivers remained elevated. However, a forecast of dry weather in the upcoming week offered some hope for relief to those affected by the high waters.

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Lake County, Illinois officials say water levels remain high in the Fox and Des Plaines rivers. Dry weather expected this week should give impacted neighbors some relief.

Floodwaters still flowed Sunday night, with homeowners working to move it out and away from their homes The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission says the Des Plaines River could climb before it crests.

“We’ve watched it come up to the barricades here a couple of days ago, and then it went back and now it’s coming back again and they say it’s going to rise even more because of the rains up north, up in Wisconsin,” Lincolnshire resident Sandy Didewig said.

Didewig’s Lincolnshire home is feet away from rising flood waters.

Officials say the Des Plaines River could reach major flood status and is expected to peak Monday.

A roadway leading into River Shire Park has been closed to cars and pedestrians, for now, but neighbors found other ways to get around.

Water levels on Londonderry Lane reached as high as a foot and a half.

“The top of the fire hydrant over there was pretty much submerged all the way to the top of the fire hydrant. So I saw some carp swimming around,” Lincolnshire resident Chris Nielsen said.

In Antioch, flood waters created more dangerous conditions after firefighters were called out to rescue a couple trapped in their home Saturday.

And in Algonquin, where the Fox River is possibly days away from peaking, rising waters levels have creeped onto a homeowner’s yard, which was now surrounded by sandbags.

With the Fox River expected to reach historic flood levels, leaders in Nunda Township are looking for volunteers to help make sandbags. That will take place starting at 7 a.m. Monday at the Nunda Township Road District building.

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