FBI Director Kash Patel used agency staff to hit back at critics on social media, a bad look for anyone who cares how taxpayer money is spent.

• Newly released FBI texts show Patel telling his public affairs chief to find critical posts and reply to them with the bureau's stats.
• His own press aide pushed back, saying responding to a small anonymous account would embarrass him.
• Patel appeared to confuse post views with actual replies, treating a minor account as a major attack.
• It fits a pattern: live-posting an active shooting investigation, wrongly announcing an arrest in the Charlie Kirk case, and suing The Atlantic over a story about his fitness for the job.
• The bigger complaint is cost — federal employees paid by taxpayers doing personal image management for the director.

Outlook: Expect more calls for oversight of how the FBI's press office is being used, with Patel unlikely to change his habits.