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FBI Director Kash Patel is exploring an unusual approach to strengthening agents' martial arts and self-defense skills—bringing in trainers from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). However, the plan, discussed during Patel’s first video conference call with FBI field office supervisors, has left many agents bewildered, with some calling it “surreal” and “wacky.”
Patel’s idea appears to be inspired by Dan Bongino, the newly appointed FBI deputy director and a vocal UFC enthusiast. According to sources, Patel is considering a partnership with the UFC to enhance FBI training, though specifics on how this would work remain unclear. A former Justice Department official criticized the plan, stating,
“There is training the FBI receives in physical altercations. If Kash Patel believed that should be beefed up, the answer is not to go to Donald Trump’s best friend who runs the UFC.”
The connection between UFC and former President Donald Trump adds another layer to the controversy. Trump, a long-time UFC fan, has attended events alongside UFC President Dana White, a close ally. Critics argue that Patel’s proposal is more about political optics than practical training needs.
Beyond UFC training, Patel has already made waves in the bureau by initiating the transfer of 1,500 FBI employees from Washington to field offices across the country. His book, Government Gangsters, outlines his vision to decentralize the FBI’s operations, a move he reaffirmed during the call. Meanwhile, Bongino is set to begin visits to field offices soon after assuming his role in mid-March.
As Patel pushes for significant changes within the FBI, the debate continues over whether his UFC training proposal is a groundbreaking initiative or simply a political spectacle.