Washington DC - The US Senate on Tuesday voted 48-45 to push through Kash Patel's nomination to be the director of the FBI.

Kash Patel, who is a fierce defender of President Donald Trump, scored an initial victory after Democrats and Republicans voted along party lines to move his nomination forward.

The move was a procedural measure that does not officially confirm Patel as FBI head. It simply pushes the nomination forward to executive session, but more or less guarantees he will be officially confirmed later this week.

During Trump's first term in office, Patel served as chief of staff to the acting US defense secretary and a senior advisor to the acting director of national intelligence.

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Just weeks ago, Patel's confirmation was not a given, as Senate Democrats derailed a committee vote and accused him of failing to provide documents "essential to our consideration of his nomination."

Patel faced intense grilling during his confirmation hearing, drawing fire for his promotion of conspiracy theories and his defense of the January 6 Capitol rioters.

Despite repeated conspiracy theories he has spread about the FBI's involvement on January 6, he claimed during confirmation hearings that the FBI was made up of "courageous apolitical warriors of justice."

Patel, who is now likely to helm the FBI for the next four years, said that to fix the faults he sees, the bureau simply needs "better leadership."