Former and retired FBI agents have rallied behind Kash Patel ahead of his confirmation hearing this week, saying he will restore what they view as a loss of confidence in the bureau.

A retired agent who worked on two special counsel investigations, an FBI whistleblower who lost his security clearance, and more than 30 other former agents all say they hope to see Patel confirmed. Their support for Patel, a 44-year-old lawyer and outspoken critic of the intelligence community, comes against the backdrop of internal shifts at the bureau that signal it is readying for a director aligned with President Donald Trump to take the helm.