FBI Director Kash Patel announced he will sue The Atlantic for defamation over a Friday report alleging he drinks to the point of intoxication and has had unexplained absences from the bureau, based on interviews with more than 20 current and former officials. Patel denied all allegations and said the lawsuit is coming, while the White House and acting attorney general defended him. The Atlantic stands by its reporting from named sources and Patel's defamation claim will hinge on proving actual malice — that the magazine knew claims were false or published with reckless disregard for truth — a high legal bar that will likely require discovery into the magazine's editorial process and source vetting.