Republican Donald Trump defeated his Democratic challenger Kamala Harris and is expected to return for a second term as US President. Trump's impressive performance was due to his strong showing in swing states and he easily surpassed the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

When he takes office, the 78-year-old president-elect is expected to select senior administration officials for his Cabinet. Potential candidates for the high-ranking posts include Kashyap “Kash” Patel, a Trump loyalist of Indian origin whose name has been floated as a candidate for CIA director.

A former Republican House staffer who held several senior defense and intelligence positions during Trump's first term, Patel appeared frequently on the campaign trail to drum up support for the Republican candidate. He served as the former chief of staff to incumbent Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller.

WHO IS “KASH” PATEL?

Patel was born on February 25, 1980 in New York to Indian immigrant parents from East Africa and has roots in Vadodara, Gujarat. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Richmond and received a law degree and a certificate in international law from University College London.

Patel initially faced the challenge of getting a job at top law firms, which led him to begin his career as a public defender. He spent nearly nine years in court in Miami, handling complex cases including murder, drug trafficking and financial crimes.

EXPERIENCE IN GOVERNANCE

Patel moved to the federal government by joining the Justice Department as a terrorism prosecutor, leading investigations and prosecutions of individuals linked to groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS. He also served as the Department of Justice's liaison officer to the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and worked on global counterterrorism operations.

He was later named principal deputy to the acting director of national intelligence, where he oversaw the 17 intelligence agencies and delivered the president's daily briefing.

HOUSE INTEL COMMITTEE AND NUNES MEMO

A pivotal point in Patel's career came when he was hired by Rep. Devin Nunes, then chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, to lead the committee's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Patel played a key role in drafting the Nunes Memo, a four-page report criticizing the Justice Department's methods in obtaining a surveillance warrant for a former Trump campaign volunteer. The memo attracted widespread attention and impressed Trump.

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL AND OTHER ROLES

Patel's work on the Nunes memo led to prominent roles within the Trump administration. In February 2019, he joined the National Security Council (NSC) as a staff member and later became senior director of the Counterterrorism Directorate.

In this role, he oversaw the implementation of several of Trump's top priorities, including operations against ISIS and al-Qaeda leaders and the safe return of American hostages held by the Syrian government.

In February 2020, Patel moved to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) as principal deputy to Acting Director Richard Grenell. He later became chief of staff to acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller and gained significant influence over the Department of Defense's operations and transition processes.

POLARIZING FIGURE

Kash Patel was a polarizing figure because he shared Trump's views on national security and his challenges to the intelligence community. Towards the end of Trump's first term, Patel was considered for the role of deputy director of the CIA or FBI, but this was met with opposition from CIA Director Gina Haspel and Attorney General Bill Barr, who argued that Patel lacked the necessary experience.

Post Govt Career and Future Prospects

Since leaving government, Patel has continued to actively promote Trump's agenda and pursue business and media activities. He is the author of the memoir “Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy” and children’s literature promoting Trump.

Patel is also a board member of the Trump Media and Technology Group, which owns the social media platform Truth.

Since Trump has won a second term, there is widespread speculation that Patel will be named CIA director, bolstered by his loyalty to Trump and his advocacy for reforms within the government, including reducing the authority of the FBI, overhauling the Ministry of Justice and taking action against government information and journalists.

(with inputs from Reuters)