Media guy Howard Kurtz says that if FBI Director Kash Patel had just ignored The Atlantic hit piece on him, it would have been out of the news cycle in two days. Not really. Democrats pounced on the story, with Sen. Chuck Schumer posting that Patel must resign immediately, because "Americans deserve steady, SOBER leadership from their FBI Director." The Atlantic handed them a cudgel, and they were prepared to use it as long as they could.
Kurtz, along with many others, believes Patel will lose his defamation suit against The Atlantic, and adds that Patel has joined President Trump's "attacks" on the media. Defending yourself against libel is "attacking" the media?
The Atlantic piece on Kash Pael would've been a 2-day story. By suing he blasted it to a far wider TV audience even while denying excessive drinking. Unlikely to win as a public figure with actual malice standard, but joins Trump's attacks on the media https://t.co/HFqyUayX4B
— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) April 22, 2026
It's bad advice to say Republicans should just take the media openly lying about them. Fighting back is always the right call. https://t.co/qwt1tRIwzL
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) April 22, 2026
But Karol, fighting back is so gauche. Best to simply lie back and think of England or something.
— Physics Geek (@physicsgeek) April 22, 2026
Howard's urging Republicans to submit & surrender
— MJB Wolf (@mjbwolf) April 22, 2026
...again.
Fighting back against press corruption of using all anonymous sources is necessary. The smartest take, from experience, is that all anonymous sources are lying or the journo is lying about them.
— kokomored (@kokomored1) April 22, 2026
Look how it worked out for George Slopodoupolous! They all should be sued.
— Haiku America (@HaikuAmerica) April 22, 2026
Recommended
They’ve sat back and taken it for decades. It took Trump to fight back and that has taken every mask off the left’s true intentions. They used to at least care about perception now it’s pure deception 24/7
— Donna Davis (@DonnaDavisHNL) April 22, 2026
Correct. Always fight back. For all his flaws, Trump fights back. Hard.
— Tim (@submarinr1) April 22, 2026
A fascinating reversal too, as Kurtz calls responding forcefully to libel an "attack on media" but the libel itself isn't an attack.
— Southpaw (@SouthpawPatrol) April 22, 2026
We'd say The Atlantic "attacked" first in this case.
The media campaign against Kash is far more than a 2-day story, and Howard knows it. Fight back, on every front.
— Tim Hurlocker (@AdamSmithEcho) April 22, 2026
Defending against outright lies and unproven claims = attacking the media.
— Adyana (@adyanalistens) April 22, 2026
Sure, sure.
And we are celebrating the fact that he's fighting back against lying media. It's one thing to make an honest mistake; purposely lying has to stop. That's why legacy media is on it's death bed. Thank God.
— CommonSenseIsn'tCommonAnymore (@DCFanFirst) April 22, 2026
So he should have ignored the character assassination, you fool?!! 🤡
— Joe King💫 🇺🇸 (@str8outtawuhan) April 22, 2026
So people should just lie down and roll over when the libtard media makes up stuff about them? Seriously? pic.twitter.com/AiIzXJ4xRX
— SamanthaM (@Sammy6170) April 22, 2026
That is the craziest take. So when you are being demonized by the media just keep quiet and take it. No person in their right mind would do that.
— Candace Wallace (@Candace21437099) April 22, 2026
I get that you're liberal to your core and not a very bright human but this take is absolutely idiotic. You can't just let dishonest people spread lies about you unless you're a wuss or a dope.
— Roper (@Roper70) April 22, 2026
As we said above, The Atlantic teed up Democrats to call for Patel's immediate resignation. This wasn't just going to blow over.
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