![Candace Owens and the late Charlie Kirk speak at the University of Colorado Boulder on Oct. 3, 2018. | [Getty Images]](/cdn-cgi/image/onerror=redirect,width=640,height=640,format=webp/https://storage.googleapis.com/uploads.mongoosehq.com/url/media/145936329/e9169eceac6bf84eaba60e448836dc344aa1da4c19afd8b8304f601ec8e8d879)
Overview
- Owens posted on Monday that the FBI told her the “burden of the request is too great” after she sought Kash Patel’s travel itinerary for Sept. 7–10, 2025.
- The FBI publicly disputed that phrasing and posted a June 12 acknowledgement letter saying “unusual circumstances” would delay a decision beyond the FOIA 20-day window and urging Owens to narrow the request.
- Under FOIA, “unusual circumstances” means the agency expects complex searches, voluminous records, or consultations with other offices, not an outright denial as ‘burdensome.’
- The exchange has amplified partisan claims and conspiracy talk linking the agency to Charlie Kirk’s death, though the coverage contains no verified evidence connecting the FBI to the killing.
- The dispute comes against broader scrutiny of Patel’s travel and his lawsuit against The Atlantic, and it could increase pressure for faster disclosures, narrower requests, or further legal challenges to obtain records.