Donald Trump made a triumphant return on Tuesday after a turbulent election campaign that included two attempts on his life and increasing polarization within the country. He The president-elect will name members of his Cabinet and other high-ranking administration officials in the coming weeks. – and many are predicting a major role for Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel.

The Indian-American is considered the “ultimate Trump loyalist” and previously played a key role in helping Republicans discredit the investigation into Russian election interference. The former Republican House staffer had also worked in several senior staff positions within the defense and intelligence communities during the previous Trump administration.

Several Trump allies have fought for Patel to be named the next CIA director. However, the appointment can only be finalized with Senate confirmation, something simplified after the Republicans obtained the majority on Tuesday. Patel is likely to be appointed to the National Security Council if he fails to win a Senate vote.

Patel was born in New York to Gujarati parents who had previously immigrated to the United States from a third country. He began his career as a public defender in numerous complex cases, from murder and drug trafficking to elaborate financial crimes. Patel also worked as a terrorism prosecutor at the Department of Justice and led investigations that spanned multiple conflict scenarios.

According to his profile at the US Department of Defense, Patel oversaw the successful prosecution of criminals aligned with Al-Qa’ida, ISIS and other terrorist groups. He also served as the Justice Department’s liaison officer to the Joint Special Operations Command and worked with several key counterterrorism units “to conduct global collaborative high-value terrorist targeting operations.”

Patel provoked the animosity of some more experienced national security officials during the first Trump administration, with some considering him “volatile and too eager to please the then-president.” He had served as Principal Deputy to the Acting Director of National Intelligence during the previous administration and oversaw the operations of all 17 intelligence community agencies.

“Patel served as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council. In that capacity, he oversaw the execution of several of President Donald Trump’s top priorities, including the elimination of ISIS and Al Qaeda leaders, such as Al Baghdadi and Qasem al Rimi, and the safe repatriation of numerous American hostages,” said his official. biography adds.

Patel has been involved in controversies throughout his career. In an interview with Trump ally Steve Bannon last year, he had promised to “persecute” politicians and journalists considered enemies of the president-elect.