📸 ‘Completely Made Up’: White House Denies Report on FBI Director Kash Patel's Removal

The White House on Tuesday forcefully denied a news report claiming that President Donald Trump was considering removing FBI Director Kash Patel from his post, dismissing the speculation as "completely made up."

The denial came in direct response to a report by MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), which, citing anonymous sources, suggested that the President and his senior aides had grown frustrated with the wave of "unflattering headlines" surrounding the FBI Director's conduct and were weighing his replacement.

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The White House Pushback: A Photo and a Laugh

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a strong rebuttal on social media, seeking to immediately quash the rumors and affirm the administration's support for Director Patel.

Leavitt stated that the report was entirely false, noting a remarkable coincidence in the timing of the news:

"This story is completely made up. In fact, when this Fake News published, I was in the Oval Office, where President Trump was meeting with his law enforcement team, including FBI Director Kash Patel."

Leavitt claims she read the headline aloud to the President, who responded by laughing and immediately calling the story "totally false." To physically demonstrate his confidence, the President then posed for a photo with Director Patel, which Leavitt posted online with the caption: "Come on Kash, let’s take a picture to show them you’re doing a great job!"

President Trump's Public Endorsement

When later asked by reporters aboard Air Force One about the speculation regarding Patel, President Trump publicly backed his director, stating, "No, he's doing a good job. Kash Patel? He's doing a great job, I think."

Patel was also present at the White House earlier in the day for the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardoning ceremony, where the President commended him and noted he was "very busy doing a great job."

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🧐 The Root of the Rumors

Despite the administration's strong denial and public show of unity, the MS NOW report, which the outlet claims to stand by, cited three unnamed individuals suggesting that Director Patel was "on thin ice."

The reported frustration stemmed from a string of recent news reports regarding the director's management of the bureau's resources and his public conduct, including:

• Use of FBI Resources: Questions have been raised regarding his use of a government jet for personal trips and the alleged deployment of an elite FBI SWAT team to provide security for his girlfriend. Patel has defended his travel as necessary due to his "required-use traveler" status, which mandates the use of government aircraft for security reasons.

• Social Media Commentary: The director has also come under scrutiny for his activity on social media, which included commentary on active FBI investigations.

The MS NOW report suggested that the President was considering top FBI official Andrew Bailey as a possible replacement, citing Bailey's timeline for being eligible to serve as acting director without immediate Senate confirmation (mid-December).

However, the White House has clearly and publicly rejected this narrative, putting the speculation to rest for now.