FBI director insists new hiring standards on prostitution and bestiality were only meant to assist sexual assault victims
Updated on: September 15, 2026 / 4:00 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- FBI Director Kash Patel defended revised hiring standards that no longer automatically disqualify candidates for acts of bestiality, prostitution, or employment theft.
- Patel explained the changes were intended to avoid penalizing victims of sexual assault or trafficking who may have been coerced into such acts.
- Previously, engaging in bestiality was an automatic disqualifier, but now candidates may still be eligible if the acts occurred before age 18.
- For prostitution, candidates can be hired if they haven't hired sex workers or engaged in prostitution three or more times, and the conduct was more than 10 years ago.
- Lawmakers, particularly Republicans, expressed incredulity and concern over the relaxed standards, focusing heavily on the bestiality aspect.
- Some current and former FBI agents and legal experts expressed concern, viewing the changes as indicative of recruitment challenges.
- The hearing addressed changes first reported in August, which were made effective June 16, 2026.