Is Trump secretly considering firing FBI Director Kash Patel?

President Donald Trump expressed public support for FBI Director Kash Patel on Tuesday, dismissing reports that he was considering removing the bureau’s top official.

“He is doing a great job I think,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One when asked about the speculation.

The reports, published by MS NOW, formerly MSNBC, claimed that Trump and his aides had been frustrated with Patel’s recent controversies and were considering Andrew Bailey, the FBI’s co-deputy director, as a potential replacement. FBI directors serve ten-year terms to insulate the bureau from politics, and appointments must be confirmed by the Senate.

Patel, a loyalist who advised the director of national intelligence and the secretary of defense during Trump’s first term, has previously called for scaling back the FBI’s intelligence-gathering role and removing employees unwilling to support the president’s agenda.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X to call the MS NOW report “completely made up.” She shared a photo of Trump and Patel in the Oval Office on Tuesday, noting that the president had laughed at the story and said, “What? That’s totally false. Come on Kash, let’s take a picture to show them you’re doing a great job.”

MS NOW, however, stood by its reporting, citing unnamed sources close to the matter.

Patel’s tenure at the FBI has been marked by controversy. Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported he had used a government jet for personal trips, including visits to a luxury resort in Texas and to his girlfriend’s home in Tennessee. A spokesperson for Patel said his travel expenses were comparable to those of previous directors.

He has also faced criticism for prematurely publicising investigations. In one instance, Patel disclosed a potential terror plot near Detroit on Halloween before authorities could confirm the threat.

His relationship with country singer Alexis Wilkins has drawn scrutiny after reports emerged that she had been assigned an FBI SWAT team for personal protection. Critics have called this an abuse of power, noting that Wilkins is neither Patel’s spouse nor cohabiting with him. Patel defended her on social media, calling attacks against her “beyond pathetic” and praising her patriotism.

Internal changes under Patel have sparked further controversy. Since the start of Trump’s second term in January, more than 200 Justice Department employees have been dismissed, including dozens involved in criminal cases related to Trump or his allies.

A former FBI employee, David Maltinsky, has filed a lawsuit claiming he was unlawfully fired for displaying an LGBT Pride flag at his workstation.

Despite the mounting scrutiny and internal challenges, the White House maintains that Patel continues to enjoy the president’s confidence.