Reports around FBI Director Kash Patel’s job security escalated after MS NOW claimed President Donald Trump was weighing a plan to remove him, citing three people described as familiar with internal discussions. According to the outlet — previously MSNBC — Trump and senior advisers have become increasingly frustrated with controversies surrounding Patel and have privately floated potential replacements.
The White House immediately rejected the story. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X that the report was “completely made up,” adding that she was physically in the Oval Office when the story went live while Trump was meeting with Patel and his law enforcement team. She said she read the headline aloud and that the President laughed, later posing for a photograph with Patel to signal confidence in his leadership.
Trump echoed the denial when questioned by reporters, saying there was no plan to change leadership at the FBI. “No, he’s doing a good job… Kash Patel? He’s doing a great job,” the President said.
MS NOW nevertheless reported that Trump has discussed the possibility of appointing senior FBI official Andrew Bailey as Patel’s successor. Two of the unnamed sources quoted by the outlet described Patel as “on thin ice,” although they acknowledged that Trump is known to reverse course abruptly.
Patel has faced weeks of scrutiny over his management of FBI resources. The controversies include allegations related to security arrangements for his girlfriend, the use of a government jet for personal travel, and a series of internal disputes involving other Trump loyalists. A Wall Street Journal report earlier noted that Patel used a government aircraft several times for personal trips, including to a Texas resort and to Tennessee.
The administration has repeatedly pushed back on such reporting, and the White House doubled down after MS NOW’s story circulated online, insisting that there is no internal move to remove Patel from his post.
