President Donald Trump is considering removing Kash Patel as FBI director in the coming months, as he and his top aides have grown increasingly frustrated by the unflattering headlines Patel has recently generated, according to three people with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity in order to speak freely.
Patel has come under scrutiny for his stewardship of bureau resources, including his girlfriend’s security detail and use of a government jet, and for his squabbles with other Trump loyalists.
Trump and White House aides have confided to allies that the president is eyeing removing Patel and is considering top FBI official Andrew Bailey as the bureau’s new director, according to the three people.
Patel is described as being on thin ice and his ouster appears closer than ever, with Bailey as the logical replacement, two of the sources with knowledge of the situation said, though Trump could change his mind in the weeks to come.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson responded to MS NOW, saying, “President Trump has assembled the most talented and impressive Administration in history and they are doing an excellent job carrying out the President’s agenda. FBI Director Patel is a critical member of the President’s team and he is working tirelessly to restore integrity to the FBI.”
On Tuesday, Patel was present at the White House for the annual pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkeys where Trump publicly commended him, adding that he was “very busy doing a great job.” When several people applauded, the president added, “See, you’ve got a following, Kash.”
Following publication of this story, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted to X that it was “completely made up.” She said when the “fake news” was published, she was in the Oval Office where Trump was meeting with his law enforcement team — including Patel.
“I read the headline to the President and he laughed,” Leavitt wrote. He said: “What? That’s totally false. Come on Kash, let’s take a picture to show them you’re doing a great job!” The picture showed the two men standing next to each other with smiles and each giving a thumbs-up.
In an interview last week with Fox News Channel’s Brian Kilmeade, the president backed Patel, saying, “I do have confidence in Kash, a lot of confidence, and the DOJ.”
On Tuesday, Patel was present at the White House for the annual pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkeys where Trump publicly commended him, adding that he was “very busy doing a great job.” When several people applauded, the president added, “See, you’ve got a following, Kash.”
MS NOW has reported that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has been frustrated with both Patel and Dan Bongino, in particular over Patel’s untimely social media posts boasting prematurely about case breakthroughs, which sometimes threatened to jeopardize investigations. Both Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche have been irritated by the continuing distraction of news coverage of his questionable use of taxpayer resources, multiple sources have said.
The news reports include a self-styled whistleblower flagging that Patel had used a government jet for what critics dubbed a “date night” to see his girlfriend perform in State College, Pennsylvania, and his use of elite SWAT team agents for a security detail for his girlfriend, which was first reported by MS NOW.
Trump inserted Andrew Bailey in the unusual role of co-deputy director at the FBI in September, amid broad Republican concern about deputy director Bongino’s lack of experience for the role. Bongino, a conservative radio show host and former Secret Service agent, had no experience in the FBI when Trump chose him to serve as deputy director after his inauguration.
Under federal law, Trump can install Bailey as acting director of the FBI without Senate confirmation, but only after Bailey has served in his current senior leadership position for at least 90 days; Bailey was appointed on Sept. 15. Under the requirements of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, Bailey could begin working as acting FBI director any time after Dec. 15 and serve for the next 210 days without confirmation.
Bailey previously served as Missouri’s state attorney general and has earned high marks inside the FBI ranks who consider him a steady hand on the helm, which several internal critics argue Patel and Bongino are not.
Carol Leonnig is a senior investigative reporter with MS NOW.
Laura Barrón-López covers the White House for MS NOW.
Ken Dilanian is the justice and intelligence correspondent for MS NOW.