Kash Patel’s future as FBI director is in question after MS NOW reported that President Donald Trump is considering removing him in the coming months, citing three people familiar with the matter.

The outlet, formerly MSNBC, said Trump and his senior aides have grown irritated by the wave of negative headlines surrounding Patel and have begun privately discussing a possible replacement.

However, the White House was quick to dismiss the report. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X that the story was “completely made up,” saying she was in the Oval Office when the headline was published, where Trump was meeting with Patel and his law enforcement team.

She added that the President laughed at the story and posed for a photo with Patel to show confidence in his leadership.

According to MS NOW, Trump has told allies he is weighing top FBI official Andrew Bailey for the job. Two of the sources described Patel as on thin ice, saying his removal appears closer than ever, though Trump could still shift course.

Patel has been dogged for weeks by scrutiny over his management of bureau resources, including questions about his girlfriend’s security detail, his use of a government jet and a string of internal clashes with fellow Trump loyalists.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that he used a government aircraft for multiple personal trips, including to a Texas luxury resort and to his girlfriend’s home in Tennessee.

The report triggered swift pushback from the administration. After MS NOW’s story was published online, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X that it was “completely made up.”

Source: India Today