Ex-Defense official Kash Patel emerges as a top contender for CIA director

Former Department of Defense official Kash Patel is being considered for several national security posts — including CIA director, a key GOP source told The Post on Monday.

Patel, 44, previously served as a National Security Council official, senior adviser to the acting director of national intelligence and chief of staff to the secretary of defense.

While President-elect Donald Trump has not officially arrived a decision about Patel’s final move, there has been “conversations” between the transition team and the former Trump official — with the majority of the discussions in Trump World being focused on the CIA, according to the source.

If he doesn’t lead the CIA, Patel could head the FBI or become the director of National Intelligence, which the source believes he would also accept.

Patel had been in conversations to be installed as deputy CIA director at the end of Trump’s term, but the head of the agency, Gian Haspel, voiced opposition, threatening to resign, Axios reported at the time.

The Trump transition team has been trying to keep the conversations of who will fill his top Cabinet spots under wraps until the president-elect makes the official announcements himself.

Patel has been rumored to be a possible top pick for months. He was one of the leading Republicans opposing the investigation into Trump and Russian interference in 2016, long opposing government overreach in how its federal agents surveil Republicans.

Patel has written about the need to dismantle the Justice Department and do an overhaul of the intelligence agencies, including the FBI, by firing their “top ranks.

“[T]he FBI has become so thoroughly compromised that it will remain a threat to the people unless drastic measures are taken,” Patel wrote in his book, “Government Gangsters.”

Trump spoke out in favor of Patel’s book during his campaign, calling it a “blueprint” for his next term in the White House in a Truth Social post.