Kash Patel becomes laughing stock after custom shoes revealed: ‘Deeply weird and uncool’

FBI Director Kash Patel was widely mocked Tuesday after being seen sporting a new pair of customized Nike shoes, sparking a bi-partisan wave of ridicule over what critics called Patel’s “childish” footwear.

“The FBI director is 13 years old,” wrote Tom Mallory, a writer and political commentator, in a social media post Monday night to their nearly 4,500 followers on X.

Patel’s new kicks were first revealed Monday by ProPublica reporter William Turton, who shared a photo of the customized shoes. They prominently feature the number 9 – a likely reference to Patel as the ninth FBI director – his personal “K$H” logo used to promote his clothing brand, and the Punisher skull, a comic book symbol that has become popular among conservatives and pro-law enforcement groups.

Critics immediately seized on the irony of Patel’s fixation on the Punisher skull, a symbol representing a fictional character whose creator said was an “outlaw,” and that they found it “stupid and ironic” that pro-law enforcement groups had embraced it.

“The Punisher would break [Patel’s] face,” noted Palestinian-American filmmaker Lexi Alexander in a social media post on X Tuesday.

Other critics zeroed in on the “childish” nature of Patel’s customized kicks, including conservative journalist Rod Dreher.

“This is so freaking childish,” Dreher wrote in a social media post on X. “A grown-ass FBI director carrying on like a high school boy, just because he can.”

Emma-Jo Morris, a conservative journalist-turned corporate consultant, bluntly noted that “Kash Patel is 46,” and Kyle Jacobs-Morse, a political communications expert, called Patel “deeply weird and uncool.”

Jennifer Erin Valent, an award-winning author, also voiced disbelief at Patel’s latest purchase.