Indian-American Kash Patel was officially sworn in as the ninth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday, taking the oath on the Bhagavad Gita.
Patel's girlfriend and family stood beside him as he recited the oath, and other family members were seated in the front row.
Kash Patel was sworn in at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building by US Attorney General Pam Bondi after being confirmed by the US Senate as the ninth FBI director, succeeding Christopher Wray.
Following the oath, Patel said that he was living the American dream and added that a "first-generation Indian is about to lead the law enforcement agency of the greatest nation on earth."
"I am living the American dream, and anyone who thinks the American dream is dead, look right here. You are talking to a first-generation Indian who is about to lead the law enforcement agency of the greatest nation on earth. That can't happen anywhere else," he said.
He also made a strong commitment to ensuring accountability within the FBI.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump expressed his strong support for Kash Patel and called him a "tough, strong" person.
WATCH: Kash Patel sworn in as 9th FBI director, takes oath on Bhagavad Gita
"One of the reasons I love Kash and wanted to put him in is because of the respect the agents had for him. He will go down as the best ever at that position," Trump said.
"Turned out he was very easy to get approved. He is a tough and strong guy. He has his opinions. Trey Gowdy came out with an incredible statement and said that Kash is an incredible person and people don't realise it. When he said that, there was no doubt left. It was a big statement made by someone who is respected and is on the moderate side," he added.
Earlier on Thursday, the White House welcomed the confirmation of Kash Patel as the new FBI Director, describing it as an important step in executing President Donald Trump's agenda to restore integrity and uphold the rule of law.
The White House further emphasised that the FBI will now refocus on its core mission of enforcing justice fairly and without bias.
Sharing a post on X, the White House wrote, "@FBIDirectorKash Patel's confirmation as FBI Director is a crucial step in executing President Trump's agenda to restore integrity and uphold the rule of law."
"The FBI will serve the American people and refocus on its core mission: enforcing justice fairly and without bias," the post added.
Following his confirmation by the Senate on Thursday as director of the FBI, Patel, an ally of President Trump, expressed his gratitude and vowed to rebuild the agency into one that is "transparent, accountable, and committed to justice."
Patel thanked President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi for their support and emphasised his commitment to restoring public trust in the FBI.
While the nomination faced opposition from Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, Patel received backing from the rest of the Republican Party, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had previously opposed other Trump nominees, according to NBC News.
The confirmation passed with a narrow 51-49 vote, as all Senate Democrats voted against him.
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