President-elect Donald Trump’s surprise announcement Saturday night that he will nominate Kash Patel to be FBI director sets the stage for a new round of turmoil in a law enforcement agency tasked with protecting the homeland and investigating federal crimes.

Patel, a steadfast Trump ally who plans to shake up the institution he is tasked with leading, is a study in contrasts from the current taciturn director who preaches the mantra of “keep calm and get tough.”

By choosing Patel over more conventional candidates, Trump is once again testing his ability to get the Senate to bend to his will by confirming some of his more provocative nominees.

Christopher Wray was appointed director by Trump in 2017 and technically has three years left of his 10-year term.

This period is intended to ensure that the directors of the country’s most important federal law enforcement agency can work free from political influence or pressure. Typically, but not always, presidents retain the director who was in office when they took office, as President Joe Biden did with Wray.

But it is also the case that all FBI directors serve at the pleasure of the president; In fact, Wray was nominated after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, whom he inherited when he took office.

The announcement means Wray can either resign from his position, consistent with Trump’s apparent wishes, or wait to be fired once Trump takes office in January. In any case, the choice of a successor is a clear sign that Wray’s days are numbered. If Wray leaves before Patel can be confirmed, the acting director position would likely be filled by the FBI’s current deputy director in the interim.

Although Republicans have won control of the Senate, his confirmation is not certain.

There are undoubtedly lawmakers who support Trump’s desire for a radically overhauled FBI, particularly after federal investigations that led to two separate indictments against the president-elect, and who share his view that federal law enforcement has been “weaponized” against conservatives.

But Patel is likely to face deep skepticism during his confirmation hearings over his stated plans to rid the government of “conspirators” against Trump and his claims that he would close the FBI headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue in the nation’s capital and send thousands of people to work there to “hunt criminals” across the country.

And while Trump may have wanted a loyalist willing to retaliate against his perceived opponents, that perspective may give pause to senators who believe the FBI and Justice Department operate free from, rather than with, political influence should be tasked with carrying out personal tasks of the President Agenda.

Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, hinted at the potentially painful confirmation battle ahead, writing on social media late Saturday: “Kash Patel will be another test of the Senate’s advice and consent powers.” Patel must appear before the Judiciary Committee “The Senate demonstrates that he has the right qualifications and, despite his past statements, will put our nation’s public safety above a political agenda bent on retaliation.”

Trump has also promised to use the recess appointments to get his nominees through the Senate.

Patel has made a number of bold claims about his plans for the federal government, but most of these proposals would require the support and approval of other officials and would almost certainly face significant opposition. His claim that he would reduce the FBI’s influence and authority stands in contrast to the traditional approach of FBI leaders, who always say they want more resources – not less.

He has spoken of trying to rid the government of “conspirators” against Trump and “going after the people in the media who lied about American citizens helping Joe Biden rig the presidential election.” criminal or civil law.

Under the FBI’s own guidelines, criminal investigations must not be based on arbitrary or unfounded speculation, but instead must have an authorized purpose of detecting or disrupting criminal activity. And while the FBI investigates, the responsibility for bringing federal charges or bringing a lawsuit on behalf of the federal government lies with the Justice Department. Trump said last week he planned to nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as attorney general.

Patel’s planned crackdown on leaks from government officials to the media is an indication that he wants the Justice Department to reverse its current policy that prohibits the secret seizure of reporters’ phone records in leak investigations. That policy was implemented by Attorney General Merrick Garland after an uproar over revelations that federal prosecutors had received subpoenas for journalists’ phone records.

Patel has talked about separating the FBI’s intelligence activities – now a core part of the FBI’s mandate – from the rest of the FBI’s activities. It is unclear whether he intends to keep that promise or how it would be greeted at a time when the U.S. faces what officials say is an increased threat from terrorism.

He also says he wants to close the long-established FBI headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue and send employees who work there across the country. It’s not clear whether this is an exaggerated claim that simply reflects disdain for the Deep State or something he would actually implement, but what that would look like in practice remains a big question mark .