News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Trump Says Patel Doing Great Job, Denies Considering Ouster P resident Donald Trump denied a report that he was considering removing FBI Director Kash Patel amid a string of controversies. “No, he’s doing a great job, I think,” Trump told reporters Tuesday aboard Air Force One. MS NOW reported earlier Tuesday that Trump was considering replac- ing Patel with FBI co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey, as concerns swirled over the director’s social media posts during high-profile investigations and the use of a government jet to visit his girlfriend. “This story is completely made up,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded on X. Bailey, the former Missouri attorney general, has for months been seen as a possible replacement-in-waiting for both Patel and his other deputy, Dan Bongino, known more for their conservative politi- cal commentary than law enforcement experience. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. A spokesperson for MS NOW said the orga- nization stood by its reporting. Trump also praised Patel in an in- terview with Fox News Radio last week, saying he had “a lot of confidence” in the director. Still, Patel’s conduct has come under intensified scrutiny in recent weeks. The NewYork Times reported the FBI dis- patched a SWAT team to serve as a protec- tive detail for AlexisWilkins, his girlfriend and a country music singer. Patel has used government jets to visitWilkins and for recreational travel, including a golf trip. The director defended the practice as standard in order to maintain access to secure communications equipment. Legal experts have also pointed to instances where Patel posted informa- tion about ongoing cases on social media, including during the search for the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk and what the FBI described as a planned Halloween terror attack in Michigan. -Bloomberg By Kate Sullivan PHOTO:X.COM @KASH_PATEL,HEADER PHOTO FBI Director Kash Patel. US Affairs News India Times (November 29, 2025 - December 5, 2025) December 5, 2025 5 Republican Sharanjit Singh Thind Announces Run For Congress From NY’s District 18 S haranjit Singh Thind filed his candidacy in Sep- tember 2025 for the US House of Representatives from NewYork’s District 18 in the Hudson Valley. A lifelong Republican and Sikh born in Punjab, India, he believes this Democrat-held seat is ready to flip. His campaign focuses on promoting business, making jobs AI-proof, defending family values, and prioritizing community safety. With extensive experience in both the private and public sectors, he sees himself as the best candidate to represent this district north of Manhattan. In a wide-ranging conversation over coffee, Thind told me that he believes he has the blessing of the party’s establishment. Before filing his nomination papers in September, he met with NewYork Republican State Committee Chairman Ed Cox—son-in-law of President Nixon—to discuss the party’s support. At the time, Thind was told that there were no other Republican candidates in the fray and that the 18th Congressional District (CD- 18) would be a strong place for him to run. “But, even with the best intentions and backing of the party leader- ship, primaries are unavoidable and even healthy,” said Thind. Thind describes himself as fully familiar with CD-18 and notes that he is in close contact with local party leadership, thanks to Chairman Cox. “I am getting a very enthusiastic response when I interact with constituents of all stripes and backgrounds,” he added. While agreeing that the incumbent, Patrick Ryan, defeated Alison Esposito (R) by 14 points in 2024, Thind points to a changed environment that would help him emerge victorious on November 3, the election day in 2026. “People were fed up seeing hotels and motels teem- ing with illegal migrants housed in the Hudson Valley under President Biden and Mayor Adams. Under Presdi- ent Trump, that threat to law and order has been cleared.” The recent election of self-declared socialist and freebies-promising Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York City is worrying all, Thind claims. In sharp contrast are Trump’s America First, pro-business policies, which he supports as do most upstate NewYork voters. In the context, Thind talks passionately about what has made America the world’s largest economy and a magnet for the world’s best. The answer is: by putting business first. To do that, you have to know about business, which he does, having run media and real estate businesses. APPEALING POLICY PLATFORM The policy platformThind is building is solely to serve his constituents he says. “The biggest challenge in the coming months and years,” Thind projects, “is that many, many jobs will evaporate under the AI heat. I am not against AI or automation, but I will make the AI behe- moth companies accountable, to make them funnel back some of their profits to retrain the retrenched workers.” Similarly, banks should be held accountable for the finan- cial scams happening under their nose that upend so many seniors’ lives. Promoting tourism in the picturesque Hudson Valley is a no-brainer. “I will give tourism full attention to attract high-paying visitors and create jobs,” says Thind while pointing to a recent Netflix series, ‘Four Seasons’, which was shot there and stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey. With his business acumen and the region’s appeal, he is confi- dent that more entertainment projects will follow. Thind can boast a rich resume that highlights his mul- tifarious career. Armed with an MBA and a journalism de- gree, Thind arrived in America at the cusp of this century. Over the years, he worked for many reputed companies, founded his own ad agency in Manhattan, and has been Editor-Publisher of ‘The South Asian Insider’ for almost two decades. Recently, he became an author with “The Beginning – Mad Men of NuWay Advertising,” highlight- ing his experience at the helm of the once-thriving ad agency on Madison Avenue. EXPERIENCE IN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS From 2012, he has worked with the government in one capacity or another. He served as a Commissioner on the Nassau County Human Rights Commission until 2018. He also worked with the Receiver of Taxes office in the Town of Hempstead, the largest township in America. In electoral politics, Thind has gained valuable experience helping others run for office. “From local councilman, mayoral to state senate and assembly to DA to Congress races, I have been very closely involved, spending long hours strategizing policy. I have helped raise and also personally contributed to the campaigns of quite a few races,” he says. Twice, he has received the Congressional Excellence award. Running for Congress, Thind insists, he also draws on the perspective he gained as an editor on how government is run and what needs to be done to fix what is broken. To kick-start his campaign, Thind will put his own money into it and seek support from small donors (the maximum individual contribution is $3,535). He clari- fies that no government matching funds are available for Congressional races. Because CD18 is flippable and can help the GOP retain control of the House after 2026, Thind expects “America-loving, like-minded” individuals to help lift his campaign to victory. Thind owns a property in the Catskills and is in the process of signing a lease for a house in Saugerties, in Ulster County. He lives with his wife and two sons on Long Island. Thind’s appeal is straightforward: Elect a representa- tive who will bring more jobs and protect those jobs from AI; bring more tourism to the Hudson Valley; expand healthcare benefits; protect family values; and pass laws to save senior citizens from scams. By Parveen Chopra, Special to News India Times PHOTO:PROVIDED Sharanjit Singh Thind.