The Republican-controlled US Senate on Thursday confirmed Kash Patel, a staunch loyalist of President Donald Trump, as director of the FBI, the country's top law enforcement agency.

Patel, 44, was confirmed by a 51-49 vote, despite fierce opposition from Democrats. The vote was largely along party lines, with the exception of two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who joined Democrats in opposing Patel's nomination.

Patel has been a controversial figure, drawing criticism for his promotion of conspiracy theories and his defense of pro-Trump rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. He has also vowed to purge members of what he describes as a "deep state" working against the Republican president.

The Senate's approval of Patel underscores Trump's continued influence over the Republican Party, as all of his cabinet nominees have been confirmed. Among them are Tulsi Gabbard as the nation's director of national intelligence, despite her past support for adversarial nations such as Russia and Syria, and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary.

Democratic Senator Dick Durbin led an effort to block Patel's confirmation, holding a press conference outside FBI headquarters in Washington, DC, where he warned that Patel's leadership would be a "political and national security disaster."

Speaking later on the Senate floor, Durbin described Patel as "dangerously, politically extreme."

"He has repeatedly expressed his intention to use our nation's most important law enforcement agency to retaliate against his political enemies," Durbin said.

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Patel, who holds a law degree from Pace University and previously worked as a federal prosecutor, will replace Christopher Wray, who was appointed by Trump during his first term. Despite having three years left in his 10-year tenure, Wray resigned following Trump's victory in the November presidential election after a strained relationship with the president.

Patel is expected to take office immediately and assume leadership of the 38,000-strong Federal Bureau of Investigation.

'Unbounded power'

Former FBI officials in December raised concerns over the potential implications of Donald Trump’s nomination of Kash Patel as the next FBI director.

Patel is likely to wield unprecedented power within the bureau, as he appears poised for confirmation next year with the backing of key Republicans and amid the current director’s anticipated resignation, the news website indicated.

The alarm has grown over Patel’s nomination, given his controversial actions and statements, including calls to shut down FBI headquarters and the creation of what critics have labeled an "enemies list".

Patel is expected to receive unanimous support from Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, solidifying his path to confirmation, The Guardian suggested.

It cited former FBI Assistant Director Frank Figliuzzi and other officials familiar with the bureau’s operations as saying that Patel’s leadership could eliminate traditional checks on the FBI director's authority, particularly under a second Trump administration.

The news website mentioned that Patel is anticipated to appoint his own chief of staff and a new FBI general counsel, enabling him to pursue actions aligned with a campaign of retribution.

Moreover, Pam Bondi, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, has echoed Patel’s vision to make the FBI subordinate to the White House.