'Come at me, bring it on': Kash Patel vents fury on live TV after bombshell allegations

FBI Director Kash Patel repeated his vow to file a lawsuit against The Atlantic on Sunday following the magazine’s explosive report about Patel’s alleged behavior that has “alarmed” colleagues.

Citing insiders both in and close to the FBI, The Atlantic reported Friday that Patel’s “excessive drinking” and “unexplained absences” had “alarmed colleagues.” The FBI director appeared on Fox News on Sunday to fiercely refute the allegations.

“I’m happy to announce on your show that we are not going to take this lying down. You want to attack my character? Come at me, bring it on, I’ll see you in court,” Patel said, speaking with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo.

“We have to fight back against the fake news. It’s one of the many things that President Trump is so successful at in leading out on, because no one is attacked as baselessly as he is, and as much as he is. I won't tolerate their attacks on me because they are indirect attacks on the men and women of the FBI that we cleaned up.”

Patel told Bartiromo that he would be filing a lawsuit against The Atlantic on Monday, suing the magazine for defamation.

Patel did not share details to vindicate himself against the allegations leveled against him, but did launch into a lengthy critique of media outlets, calling them the “fake news Mafia.”

“If the fake news mafia wants to ring their drums as loud as they can, they’re never going to stop me from completing the mission that President Trump asked me to do, which is safeguarding America, and we’re doing it better than ever before,” Patel said.