Former Trump administration aide Kash Patel has been floated as a potential contender to lead the FBI or CIA in President-elect Donald Trump’s second administration, as the ally has long railed against the so-called Deep State and vowed to punish Trump’s enemies—and drawn widespread criticism from even top officials in Trump’s first White House.

Patel’s career began as a public defender in Miami, where he spent nearly nine years handling high-stakes criminal cases, including murder, drug trafficking, and financial crimes.

John Ratcliffe, a close ally of Trump, served as director of national intelligence at the end of his first term.

Formerly of the Trump Administration, Kashyap “Kash” Patel got his start in government as a public defender. His work typically involved trying cases of murder, drug trafficking and financial crimes.