White House, Trump deny weighing ouster of FBI director Kash Patel
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News outlet MS NOW said Mr Trump and his top aides had grown increasingly frustrated by the unflattering headlines Mr Patel (above) has generated.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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- MS NOW reported Trump considered removing Kash Patel as FBI director due to "unflattering headlines."
- The White House denied the report, calling it "completely made up" via spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt on X.
- Trump dismissed the story as false, taking a photo with Patel to show support, according to Leavitt.
AI generated
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE - Donald Trump offered support to FBI Director Kash Patel on Nov 25, with the US President’s comments coming after news outlet MS NOW reported that the Republican leader was considering removing Mr Patel from his current role.
When asked about the report, Mr Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that Mr Patel was doing a “great job”.
The White House had also denied the report earlier in the day.
MS NOW, citing three unidentified people with knowledge of the situation, said in an online report that Mr Trump and his top aides had grown increasingly frustrated by the unflattering headlines Mr Patel has generated.
They have confided to allies that the president is weighing removing Mr Patel and considering top FBI official Andrew Bailey as his replacement, according to MS NOW, formerly MSNBC.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on X that the story was “completely made up” and posted a photo of Mr Trump and Mr Patel that she said was taken in the Oval Office on Nov 25.
Ms Leavitt said Mr Trump and Mr Patel were in a meeting when the report was published, and the president reacted to it by laughing and saying, “What? That’s totally false. Come on Kash, let’s take a picture to show them you’re doing a great job!”
A spokesperson for MS NOW said the news organisation stands behind its reporting. REUTERS
