Before joining the FBI, Kash Patel had a distinguished legal and government career. He started as a public defender in Florida, handling a wide range of cases including murder, narco-trafficking, and complex financial crimes. Later, he became a national security prosecutor at the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Obama administration, focusing on terrorism cases involving al-Qaida, ISIS, and other groups. Patel also served as the DOJ liaison to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), coordinating with elite military units worldwide. In 2020, Patel moved to the Department of Defense (DoD) as chief of staff, managing a massive workforce and budget. He was also a senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council and chief of staff to the acting Secretary of Defense during the Trump administration. Additionally, he played a key role in drafting the Nunes memo alleging FBI misconduct during the Russia investigation. Just prior to becoming FBI Director, Patel founded The Kash Foundation, supporting legal defense, education, and assistance for military and law enforcement communities.