Kash Patel sues the Atlantic over article alleging excessive drinking

Kash Patel, the US attorney general, filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic and national security reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, seeking $250 million in damages. This action follows through on a threat made after the magazine published a story detailing allegations of "excessive drinking" and "conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences" while Patel was in charge of the law enforcement agency. The lawsuit was filed in US district court for the District of Columbia. The Atlantic has publicly stated it stands behind the story.