FBI relaxes hiring standards on bestiality, prostitution, Kash Patel defends move: ‘We are not into it, but…’

FBI director Kash Patel on Tuesday defended changes to the bureau’s hiring standards that allowed applicants with past involvement in prostitution and bestiality to be considered for jobs. The policy was changed to prevent victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation from being automatically disqualified, Patel said.

FBI Director Kash Patel explains hiring rule change. (REUTERS)The issue came up during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, where Republican senator John Kennedy of Louisiana and Democratic senator Dick Durbin of Illinois questioned Patel about the changes.

The FBI revised its hiring standards last year to remove prostitution, bestiality and certain other conduct from the list of automatic disqualifications, Reuters reported. This allows some applicants with such histories to be considered for jobs at the bureau. The changes were reportedly formalised in June this year.

Under the new rules, people who paid for sex fewer than three times more than 10 years ago may still be considered for FBI jobs, as long as they were not in a position of “public trust” when it happened. Previously, prostitution could automatically disqualify an applicant.

The rules also cover bestiality and animal cruelty. Such conduct is no longer an automatic disqualification if it happened before the applicant turned 18. The FBI can now review these cases individually. Bestiality means sexual activity between a human and an animal. It is regarded as animal abuse.

Kennedy questioned Patel about why bestiality had been included in the revised hiring standards. “When you saw bestiality, I say this with respect: The person who recommended it, why didn't you just say what planet did you parachute in from?” Kennedy asked.

Patel said FBI officials had shown him cases involving people who were forced into bestiality and later applied to join the bureau.

“They then explained to me and showed me cases in which people were forced into it and applied to the FBI and so I thought they should be considered. It's not an automatic disqualification,” Patel said.

Kennedy asked whether someone who had voluntarily engaged in bestiality should be disqualified. “If he voluntarily did it, sure. But if he was trafficked into it ...,” Patel responded.

Kennedy also asked why the bureau would “even get into bestiality.”

Patel responded, “we’re not into bestiality.” Patel said human traffickers forced people into bestiality and other “degrading acts of all kinds” and added that victims should not automatically lose the opportunity to serve at the FBI.

The FBI's revised standards also address prostitution. Patel said the previous policy treated prostitution, trafficking and bestiality in a way that could automatically disqualify applicants.

He said the bureau changed the rules so that cases involving victims could be reviewed rather than rejected automatically.

Kennedy later sought clarification on whether a person who “voluntarily had sex with an animal” could become an FBI agent.

“You’re not telling us today that if a human being had sex with an animal that they can still be an FBI agent, are you?” Kennedy asked. “They can’t be, can they?”

“They cannot,” Patel responded. “In fact, they ought to be in jail, right?” Kennedy asked. “They all are,” Patel said.

The exchange came during a hearing in which lawmakers questioned Patel about his leadership of the FBI, personnel changes and investigations involving US President Donald Trump.

Democrats also challenged Patel over the firing of FBI agents who worked on investigations involving Trump, while Republicans questioned him about crime and the bureau's law-enforcement priorities.

Patel defended the personnel decisions, saying he wanted to ensure that the FBI was not being used as a “weaponised” agency.

Anita Goswami is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she primarily covers Indian and international news. With four years of industry experience, she has led coverage of Indian General elections, Assembly elections, and national polls in the United States, Canada, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Her reporting covers global wars and major events, including Operation Sindoor, Sheikh Hasina's ouster and the Mahakumbh Mela. She verifies facts and uses clear sources to ensure accurate reporting. As former Chief Copy Editor at Storytailors, she managed teams to produce top-quality content for networks like NDTV, Profit, CNBC-TV18, Upstox and News18. Her work is featured in NDTV, Meaww, and Global Pulse. Throughout her tenure, Anita has collaborated with and been mentored by top industry experts. When not reading, Anita can be found outdoors or at a bakery. Fields of interest: Indian political history, international elections, historical policy analysis, global conflicts, cultural events, Formula 1, art, media ethics and reporting on socio-political change over time.Read More