Washington, D.C. — Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland publicly released the results of his Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test on Wednesday and challenged FBI Director Kash Patel to do the same following a heated Senate hearing exchange over allegations involving Patel’s behavior and alcohol use.
The dispute began during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing Tuesday, when Van Hollen questioned Patel about claims published by The Atlantic alleging “excessive drinking” and erratic conduct by the FBI director. Patel strongly denied the accusations, calling them “unequivocally and categorically false.”
During the exchange, Van Hollen asked Patel whether he would take the same self-assessment alcohol screening used in many medical settings. Patel agreed on the record to complete the test, though by Wednesday afternoon he had not publicly shared any results.
Van Hollen then posted his own screening score online, saying he wanted to demonstrate transparency and encourage Patel to follow through on his commitment.
The confrontation escalated beyond the initial allegations, with Patel accusing Van Hollen of wasting taxpayer money during a controversial trip to El Salvador earlier this year. Both men accused each other of dishonesty during the contentious hearing.
The incident turned what was expected to be a standard budget oversight session into a highly personal public confrontation involving credibility, conduct, and political tensions between congressional Democrats and Trump administration officials.
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