FBI director Kash Patel defends decision to remove bestiality as automatic disqualifier for FBI applicants

Kash Patel's decision to remove bestiality as an automatic disqualifier for FBI job applicants has come under scrutiny, after senators asked him whether 'a human being who's had sex with an animal can still be an agent'.

While applicants who admitted to engaging in bestiality were previously dismissed from working for the FBI, Director Patel has since changed the policy.

And the move has been called into serious question.

Many senators during a conference on Tuesday (September 15) were left in disbelief following the announcement, with some questioning the logic behind the decision.

During testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patel said: "We did not want to punish victims of bestiality, victims who were trafficked.

"We did not want to make it an automatic disqualification for the FBI to consider you if you are a victim of these awful heinous acts."

Republican Sen. John Kennedy proceeded to zone in on what Patel meant by 'victims' of bestiality.

"Why would you even get into bestiality?" he asked.

Kash Patel has doubled-down on the decision. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

"We are not into bestiality," Patel clarified, before the senator continued: "I know you’re not, but you changed the qualifications and mentioned bestiality.

"But you’re not telling us today that if a human being had sex with an animal, that they can still be an FBI agent?"

And while the director said 'no', the applicant would no longer be automatically disqualified.

Kennedy added: "We’re having a tough time attracting agents, good quality agents we all can trust … Why would you even get into bestiality?

"I say this with respect to the person who recommended it, why didn’t you just say: 'What planet did you parachute in from?'"

The director answered questions about the policy change during a conference. (Getty Stock Images)

What does the bestiality rule change actually mean?

Under the revised criteria, an applicant is not automatically disqualified if the conduct involving bestiality or animal cruelty occurred before they turned 18.

That does not, however, mean an applicant is automatically accepted into the FBI; they would still have to go through the agency's wider hiring process.

'Why now' is a question many senators have asked.

And Patel noted that he had been shown cases involving people who had allegedly been forced into such acts being immediately disqualified without a fair chance.

It is currently unclear how many FBI applicants have fallen into this category.

And in a statement following the questionable move, a spokesperson for the FBI stated that they are 'not relaxing hiring standards', but instead allowing 'the whole of person' to be considered before denying an application.