Kash Patel tells Sean Hannity the pressure to ‘not miss anything’ keeps him ‘up at night’

Speaking on the “Hang Out with Sean Hannity” podcast, Patel said the bureau is using new technology to prevent attacks, warning a future 9/11-style attack remains a concern.

“I can tell the American public, just look at the month of December alone last year. We stopped four terrorist attacks in four weeks during the holidays,” Patel told Hannity.

“Everything from the ‘Pumpkin Day’ plot all the way through the attacks that were going to happen in Texas, Florida and New York — and we stopped them all,” he added.

FBI Director Kash Patel spoke during a press conference at the Department of Justice on April 21, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

The “Pumpkin Day” plot refers to a foiled ISIS-inspired terror attack that federal authorities said would have involved a massacre in a Detroit suburb. The two Michigan men involved allegedly used the codename “pumpkin” to discuss their plans for a mass shooting.

Patel also said the FBI stopped attacks targeting Texas, Florida and New York. The FBI previously said it thwarted another ISIS-inspired plot in which a North Carolina man allegedly planned to use knives and hammers at a grocery store and fast-food chain on New Year’s Eve.

Patel said the pressure of safeguarding the nation is what keeps him “up at night.” “We are the folks that are responsible for safeguarding America,” Patel said. “We’re doing everything we can to not miss anything.”

Patel said officials are “always on the watch for” a potential September 11-style attack. He said after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, officials have been watching for terror groups to “rejuvenate.”

“The thing about terrorists is they’re exceedingly patient,” Patel added.

To stay ahead of these threats, Patel said the Trump administration worked to modernize the FBI, including using artificial intelligence to expand its capabilities.

“AI was never used at the FBI until we got there. I’m using it everywhere,” Patel said. He referenced its use in criminal justice databases to identify fingerprints and expedite arrests, as well as sifting through the massive volume of the FBI tipline.

FBI Director Kash Patel listened as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference at the Department of Justice on April 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

“Can you imagine how many tips the FBI gets a week? Thousands. If we had just humans look at it, we would never sift through them all,” Patel said.

“I put AI in there. We stopped a school massacre in North Carolina because we got a tip and we were able to triage it with artificial intelligence,” he added.