Former Trump administration aide Kash Patel has been floated as a potential contender to lead the FBI or CIA in President-elect Donald Trump’s second administration, as the ally has long railed against the so-called Deep State and vowed to punish Trump’s enemies—and drawn widespread criticism from even top officials in Trump’s first White House.

Patel’s career began as a public defender in Miami, where he spent nearly nine years handling high-stakes criminal cases, including murder, drug trafficking, and financial crimes.

Kash Patel, a former House and National Security Council staffer ... Patel was also reportedly being considered to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) but Trump picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman and director of national intelligence ...

If appointed, Patel would be one of the highest-ranking Indian-Americans in the U.S. government, potentially stepping into the role of CIA Director.

John Ratcliffe, who is considered one of the most conservative Republicans, was elected to Congress in 2014. He is a fierce Trump loyalist and defended him in 2019 during the House’s first impeachment proceedings.