White House Denies Report Claiming President Trump's Plans to Fire FBI Director Kash Patel

Washington: The White House on Tuesday strongly rejected a report by online outlet MS NOW that Donald Trump is considering removing Kash Patel as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The article, citing three unnamed sources familiar with internal discussions, claimed Trump and senior aides were increasingly frustrated by negative headlines surrounding Patel’s leadership and were reviewing potential replacements.

According to the MS NOW story, Trump had begun discussions about possibly appointing Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a senior official inside the FBI, as a successor. The report suggested growing concern within the administration about the bureau’s media image under Patel.

Kash Patel, a former national security and defense official known for being a close ally of Trump, was appointed FBI Director earlier this year as part of the administration’s sweeping shake-up of the intelligence and law-enforcement leadership. His appointment drew significant attention due to his past involvement in investigations related to the FBI and Justice Department, and his public criticism of what he has described as entrenched “politicization” within federal agencies.

Shortly after the story gained traction online, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a swift and sharp rebuttal, saying the claim had “no grounding in reality.” Leavitt also posted a photo of President Trump standing beside Patel inside the Oval Office, appearing relaxed and smiling. In her caption, she quoted the president responding to the report by saying, “Totally false. Kash is doing a great job”.

For now, the White House maintains that Patel’s position is secure — and officials insist there are no conversations underway about replacing him.

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