Manhunt for Kirk's killer was Kash Patel's greatest test. There's some debate over whether he passed.

There was a strong sense among critics and allies alike that the manhunt for Charlie Kirk's assassin was a major test for FBI Director Kash Patel.

Mike Howell, president of the Oversight Project, told Blaze News on Thursday that the "assassination of Charlie Kirk is the defining moment for Patel and the FBI."

While the suspected assassin , a leftist Utah State University dropout named Tyler Robinson, has been arrested, some have nevertheless questioned whether the FBI director made the grade.

Manhattan Institute fellow Christopher Rufo, for instance, noted , "I'm grateful that Utah authorities have captured the suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination, and think it is time for Republicans to assess whether Kash Patel is the right man to run the FBI."

"He performed terribly in the