FBI Director Kash Patel is set to face congressional questioning over his handling of the investigation into the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, following early missteps, including a false social media post stating that the suspect was already in custody, Al Jazeera reported. Patel is scheduled to testify before the Senate and House judiciary committees on Tuesday and Wednesday. Lawmakers are expected to press him not only on the FBI’s management of the Kirk case but also on his ability to lead an agency described as fractured by political tensions and internal discord since his appointment, the report added.

President Donald Trump praised Patel on Saturday for the FBI’s swift identification and arrest of the alleged killer, Tyler Robinson. However, doubts about Patel’s qualifications to head the FBI — an agency with 38,000 employees, including 13,000 agents — have emerged, even among conservatives. Christopher F. Rufo, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, wrote on X that Republicans should reconsider whether Patel is the right person to lead the Bureau. He criticized Patel’s recent performance, questioning whether he has the operational expertise to take on violent extremist threats. Rufo also said that many conservative leaders he spoke with support the Trump administration but lack confidence in the FBI’s current structure.

Conservative commentator Erick Erickson echoed those concerns on X, calling the FBI’s situation “concerning.” The Guardian previously reported that far-right groups mocked Patel for his “clumsy” handling of the case. Shortly after Kirk’s killing, Patel incorrectly claimed in a post that the suspect was in custody, a statement later corrected. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, a Republican, criticized the mistake as “amateur hour” and questioned Patel’s professionalism. Reports also suggest Patel expressed frustration with his own agents for not providing him timely information, such as a photo of the suspect.

On the same day Kirk was killed, Patel was also hit with a lawsuit filed by three former senior FBI officials who were dismissed in August. They claimed their firings were retaliatory under the Trump administration. One of them, Brian Driscoll, alleged he was ousted for resisting pressure during an earlier investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot. Patel is additionally under fire for prioritizing investigations into illegal immigration and street crime while continuing to pursue issues linked to Trump’s grievances after the Russia probe ended. Gregory Brower, the FBI’s former congressional affairs chief, told Al Jazeera that Patel must perform strongly in these hearings given the skepticism surrounding him in the Senate. The FBI has declined to comment ahead of his testimony.