Kash Patel wants to bring in UFC trainers to teach FBI agents hand-to-hand combat: report

FBI agents could soon get a new training course - from athletes in one of the president’s favorite sports.Director Kash Patel has launched a bid to bring in Dana White’s UFC trainers to teach special agents mixed martial arts techniques, according to a report. Patel, who attended President Donald Trump’s UFC birthday bash at the White House, is now seeking a one-year “sole source” contract with the UFC to provide a training program for agents in “defense tactical techniques,” according to an agency document released in September. “The purpose of the training is to enhance physical combat abilities, mental toughness, and tactical awareness, which are crucial for special agents in high-risk situations,” the document, which was first reported by MS NOW, read. It’s unclear how much the contract is worth, as the estimated figure was redacted. White is the president of the UFC and a longtime friend of Trump. The president has attended numerous UFC matches throughout the years, and even brought the Octagon to the White House South Lawn in June to celebrate America’s 250th birthday — and his 80th birthday. Patel is also a fan of the sport and has been seen at events. FBI Director Kash Patel, who attended President Donald Trump’s UFC birthday bash at the White House, has launched a bid to bring in Dana White’s UFC trainers to teach special agents mixed martial arts techniques (AFP via Getty Images)The FBI said the UFC was “uniquely qualified” to conduct the training in its document, noting the trainers’ skills in “striking techniques, grappling/takedowns, weapon defense, ground control, as well as conditioning to the standard that the FBI expects and requires.”The proposed deal would bypass the bidding process required for federal contracts, something the Trump administration has done in the past.During the botched renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the National Park Service awarded Greenwater Services, an Ohio-based firm with ties to a Trump donor, a $1.7 million no-bid contract to install a water-purification system, The New York Times reported in June. Days after the project was complete, the basin turned green from algae blooms. The FBI said in the newly revealed document that the proposed contract’s one-year term “will allow for more market research to be conducted and allow for vendors to become more equipped to handle this requirement. “The long-term contract that will be created in the future will be done so on a competitive basis.”The Independent has reached out to the FBI for comment on the proposed deal. White and Trump have been close for years with the president attending numerous UFC events (Getty Images)This would not be the first time the FBI worked with the UFC. The UFC announced in early March that its current and former athletes would visit Quantico that week to host a two-day training seminar for FBI Special Agent Academy students and senior FBI staff from around the world. “This is a tremendous opportunity for our FBI agents to learn and train with some of the greatest athletes on earth - helping the world’s premier law enforcement agency be even better prepared to protect the American people,” Patel said in a statement at the time. “Dana White has changed the game in the mixed martial arts industry and we’re extremely honored to be partnered with him, the professionals, and the UFC. We are grateful for their shared love of our nation, so that we can better defend her.”