David Corn: We Still Don't Know What Kash Patel Did as a Consultant for Qatar

[Nevilledog]

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/05/kash-patel-qatar-fbi-trump/


In a curious twist during his confirmation process, Kash Patel failed to disclose significant personal financial information until after the Senate hearing in January on his nomination to become FBI director. Consequently, one peculiar item listed on his financial disclosure form received no attention during that hearing: Patel’s work as a consultant for the embassy of Qatar. On this document, Patel did not specify what he did for Qatar or how much he was paid.

Even now—nearly three months after he took the helm of the nation’s top law enforcement agency—the details of Patel’s Qatari connection remain a mystery.

This week Mother Jones contacted the FBI and texted Patel, asking if they would reveal what services he provided to Qatar and what payments he received. Neither responded.

Patel is just one of several top Trump administration aides who have had financial ties to this Arab monarchy. Susan Wiles, Trump’s chief of staff, worked for a lobbying firm that represented Qatar. Attorney General Pam Bondi lobbied for the Qataris. Mike Huckabee, now US Ambassador to Israel, was paid $50,000 to visit Qatar in 2018. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, also has pocketed money from Qatar. In 2023, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund bought the Park Lane Hotel from Witkoff’s company in a $623 million deal. The Trump Organization itself recently struck a deal to develop a luxury golf resort in Qatar. And now Qatar is considering handing as a gift to Trump a jumbo airliner worth about $400 million for Trump to use as Air Force One. The plan reportedly is for the 747 to be transferred to Trump’s presidential library foundation after he leaves office, where it could come under his personal control.

There have been few public clues regarding the nature of Patel’s tie to Qatar. His financial disclosure form only says that he made more than $5,000 from this work. It notes that he was paid through a company he owned called Trishul, which engaged in “national security, defense, and intelligence” consulting. According to the form, he earned more than $2.1 million in 2024 through Trishul, which had a number of clients. Those clients included the Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates the Truth Social, Trump’s money-losing social media platform. But the form does not break down how much of Patel’s Trishul income came from each client.

*snip*

[spanone]

1. We're any of these trmp clowns vetted at all?

[vapor2]

2. Depends on your definition of vetting.

Jared conveniently left out information several times on his security clearance papers.

[hot2na]

3. The corruption is off the charts

I remember when having financial ties to foreign governments was a red flag for presidential administrations because the potential of a coflict of interest could result in political scandal.

In the Trump admin, finiacial entaglements with foreign governments are encouraged, it seems.

[BoRaGard]

4. So Patel (R) is by implication a Hamas - Terrorism supporter?

Apparently. I'll bet the money was fantastic.

[vapor2]

5. And they were relentless when republicans went after Hunter

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. He probably passed secrets along to the

highest bidder. Seems none of our secrets are secrets any more. They have been passed around to just about everywhere there is a government.

That man is a pig.

[surfered]

7. And we're not sure what he's doing at the FBI. Is he' even showing up at the office?

[Irish_Dem]

8. Qatar owns the White House.