The Atlantic republished a 2014 essay by JD Vance that characterized Donald Trump’s appeal as “cultural heroin,” a temporary pain reliever for societal ills that would ultimately fail to provide lasting solutions. This republication highlights Vance’s significant political evolution from a vocal critic of Trump, even calling him “America’s Hitler,” to becoming his running mate and a fervent defender. Vance’s shift in stance, particularly noted by Atlantic editor David Frum, occurred as he successfully ran for the US Senate with Trump’s endorsement, subsequently becoming his Vice Presidential nominee.
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The Atlantic has recently decided to republish a provocative op-ed penned by JD Vance back in 2016, during Donald Trump’s initial presidential campaign. This decision, as the magazine itself stated, is to allow readers to assess “how well his assessment of the man he now serves as vice president has stood the test of time.” The original piece was crafted while Vance was working at Peter Thiel’s venture capital firm, Mithril Capital Management, and offers a stark look at his early perception of Trump’s appeal.
In that 2016 essay, Vance posited that many Americans were turning to Trump as a form of “pain reliever” in the face of growing distrust in government and economic hardship.… Continue reading
Since the publication of a report detailing alleged excessive drinking and unexplained absences by FBI Director Kash Patel, The Atlantic has received an influx of additional sources corroborating the claims, even from high government levels. The journalist behind the report believes that Patel’s vindictive nature, coupled with a fear of retribution including job loss and costly litigation, has historically prevented others from speaking out. Despite Patel’s $250 million lawsuit alleging fabricated claims, The Atlantic stands by its reporting, which was based on interviews with dozens of individuals across various government and intelligence agencies.
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FBI Director Kash Patel’s defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic, seeking $250 million, highlights the magazine’s alleged “actual malice” and disregard for journalistic standards. However, the 19-page complaint itself contains notable spelling and copy-editing errors, including “feable” for “feeble” and “politices” for “policies.” While these oversights do not alter the substance of the allegations—which claim The Atlantic published false assertions about Patel based on anonymous sources despite denials—they are particularly striking in a filing that centers on journalistic negligence and editorial rigor, especially given the prominence of the parties involved and the typical legal review process.
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FBI Director Kash Patel filed a $250 million lawsuit against The Atlantic, alleging the magazine published a defamatory article with fabricated allegations regarding his drinking habits. The lawsuit contends that The Atlantic acted with actual malice, ignoring warnings that the central claims were false and relying on biased anonymous sources. This action follows a previous defamation case where Patel was awarded damages against a Substack writer for spreading “pernicious lies.” The Atlantic has deemed the lawsuit “meritless” and plans to defend its journalists.
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FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic and its reporter over an article alleging excessive drinking and erratic behavior. Despite denying the claims as “categorically false,” Patel’s lawsuit inadvertently highlighted key points from the article, including a struggle to log into a computer system and the perceived panic it caused. Critics, including lawmakers, have drawn parallels between Patel’s legal strategy and that of former President Trump, anticipating a contentious deposition. The lawsuit also noted other allegations such as requesting SWAT team equipment due to Patel being unreachable and his frustration with FBI merchandise.
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Claims of FBI Director Kash Patel’s excessive drinking and erratic behavior, as reported by The Atlantic based on anonymous sources, could not be independently verified. Patel has denied these allegations, filing a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the publication, which stands by its reporting. The FBI, Department of Justice, and the White House have not directly addressed the specific claims, though the White House praised Patel’s leadership.
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FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, labeling her report as a “sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece.” The article, citing unnamed sources, alleged Patel’s job was in jeopardy due to concerns including bouts of excessive drinking. Patel publicly stated he views the “actual malice” standard, required for public figures in defamation cases, as a “legal lay up,” despite its historically high burden of proof. This lawsuit emerges as part of a broader conservative effort to challenge or overturn the Supreme Court’s precedent on the actual malice standard.
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Despite Kash Patel’s claims that a report on his alleged drinking problem and erratic behavior was entirely false, his own defamation lawsuit appears to confirm a specific detail from the article. The lawsuit acknowledges that Patel experienced a technical issue preventing him from accessing a government system on April 10th, an incident previously described in the report as a meltdown where he believed he had been fired. The article, citing anonymous sources, detailed a severe drinking problem that could “threaten national security” and suggested paranoia. Patel’s legal team has condemned the reporting as a “hit piece” while The Atlantic stands by its story.
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FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic and staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick, alleging their recent article contained false claims of excessive drinking and unexplained absences. The article, which cited numerous anonymous sources, described Patel’s behavior as erratic and a national-security vulnerability, including accounts of intoxication and a dramatic misunderstanding about being fired. The Atlantic has stated it stands by its reporting and will defend itself against the lawsuit, while Patel’s legal team claims the publication deliberately engineered a timeline to prevent a proper response and made a “stealth edit” to the article’s headline.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood