Sarah Fitzpatrick came after FBI Director Kash Patel hard, alleging he was a derelict and an alcoholic while helping the nation’s preeminent law enforcement and domestic intelligence agency. Patel’s lawyers have filed a lawsuit. The piece is riddled with anonymous sources, which is no shock, as this same reporter pushed the hoaxes peddled by Julie Swetnick, who tried to derail the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh.
Still, the FBI has a job to do, so when Ms. Fitzpatrick sought their help over threats she was receiving related to the article published in The Atlantic, again, no shock there, this story took a wild and ironic turn. The publication obviously contacted law enforcement, which later referred Ms. Fitzpatrick to the FBI. Fitzpatrick has continued to work, but there has been some inside-the-beltway hubbub over this case since MS Now alleged that the FBI was investigating Fitzpatrick in connection with the article. That was denied. There does appear to be a threat assessment probe involving her, but on something entirely different. The threats lobbed against her happened three days after the Kash Patel hit piece was published in April. Rachael Bade has more:
The irony of the entire situation won’t be lost on those who’ve read Fitzpatrick’s work:
— Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) May 12, 2026
—A reporter whose coverage the FBI director sued over, now working with the FBI on concerns abt her safety.
—And an agency now working with the bane of its director's existence...…
I should clarify: Fbi spoke with her on phone and zoom, re: “met with” (not in person per my agency source)
— Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) May 12, 2026
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The FBI has opened a “threat assessment” case into menacing messages sent to Fitzpatrick — called a “guardian intake” in FBI speak, I’m told by an FBI official who requested anonymity to share details. It did so because the reporter herself contacted the bureau twice.
THE DETAILS — On April 20, Fitzpatrick described the horrifying messages in a call to the FBI. “Your days are numbered,” one read. Another said, “It’ll be your obituary,” according to this FBI official. Fitzpatrick first went to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, which referred her to the FBI, according to a statement The Atlantic gave me tonight.
A few hours before her outreach to the FBI, Patel’s lawyers had filed a lawsuit against The Atlantic over Fitzpatrick’s piece. The filing temporarily included Fitzpatrick’s home address, which alarmed the reporter, she would later tell agency officials.
In addition to speaking with her, the FBI was also in communication with MPD to make sure her house didn’t get swatted, I’m told.
On May 5, Fitzpatrick and Atlantic attorney DAVID BAUMGARTEN attended a Zoom meeting with FBI officers, where they shared additional threatening messages she’d received. I’m told Fitzpatrick relayed to the officers that she received calls during the night and had concerns about her family’s safety.
PLOT THICKENS — The irony of the entire situation won’t be lost on those who’ve read Fitzpatrick’s work: A reporter whose coverage the FBI director sued over, now consulting with the FBI about her safety. And an agency making moves to protect a journalist who’s been the bane of its director’s existence.
And yet, that’s the job, right? It’s what it is. But DC is known to have these sorts of strange bedfellow moments.
Fitzpatrick’s article was outrageous, but death threats? No. That’s never okay, folks. Obviously.
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