FBI Director Kash Patel has been facing heat online after a handwritten note, which appears to be a pep-talk to himself, went viral on social media. The now-viral note is from the congressional hearing on political violence and Jeffrey Epstein’s case files.
What does the viral note say?
The note, which is all over the Internet, was written by Patel with a blue pen. The paper bears the FBI logo printed in black and white and the words “Director Patel” right below it.
Its lines read like “affirmations” to himself.
“Good fight with Swalwell,” read the first line of the note he held in his hand.
Another read, “Hold the line.”
The third line, he wrote, was, “Brush off their attacks.”
A fourth stated, “Rise above the next line of partisan attacks.”
Take a look at Kash Patel’s viral note here:
Kash Patel's notes during his congressional testimony as photographed by Getty: "Good fight with Swalwell" pic.twitter.com/DOZvOxLxJx
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 19, 2025
How did social media users react to this?
While some joked that he has a ‘custom notepad’, others added that the note describes his “troll mentality”.
“Lmfao, he’s writing words of affirmation to himself,” said one social media user.
Another joked, “He has a custom notepad.”
“I can also make out ‘rise above’ something and ‘brush off their attacks’. Definitely lines up with his online troll mentality,” commented a third.
A fourth posted, “Bro writing WWE match cards instead of testimony notes. ‘Good fight with Swalwell’ sounds like a bad episode of C-SPAN UFC.”