David Rohde, NBC News national security editor, detailed concerns among federal law enforcement circles on Sunday over Donald Trump nominates Kash Patel to replace Christopher Wray as FBI director.

Rohde told MSNBCpp Alex Witt that there is “fear” over Patel – a loyalist of the president-elect – after conspiracy theories. He then pointed to Patel’s interest in closing the FBI’s DC headquarters and his vows to prosecute Trump’s enemies in the media as well as in government.

“And there’s a concern that this kind of policy, what it does most of all, is distract the FBI from its primary goals of cracking down on drug trafficking, violent crime across the United States, and protecting against foreign espionage in the United States. The U.S. , Rohde said.

“People are tired of the politics on both sides of the FBI, is what I’ve heard, and they’re worried that this is just going to be more infighting and more of a distraction.”

A former senior police officer who previously interacted with Patel, in an NBC News piece that Rohde co-wrotecalled his nomination “ridiculous” before adding that he is “probably the least qualified person ever nominated for a senior position in federal law enforcement.”

“I don’t know of anything significant that he accomplished at DOJ. He was not well regarded as a prosecutor,” the unnamed official said of Patel, who previously served as chief of staff to Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller on the day of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot 2021.

Rohde, asked by Witt if he expects Patel to face an “uphill battle” during his confirmation hearing, said he’s not sure what to expect.

“It’s another test of the Senate, will they advise and consent?” he said. “Will they act – do a thorough review of every nominee? And this is another challenge. I think it’s as important as the Gaetz nomination so we’ll see what happens…”

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