Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Nov 26: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday publicly defended FBI Director Kash Patel after a media report claimed the president was considering removing him from the post. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump dismissed the speculation, saying, “He is doing a great job, I think.”

Earlier, the White House had categorically denied the report published by MS NOW, which stated that Trump and his aides were frustrated by the negative headlines Patel had generated and were weighing Andrew Bailey — the FBI’s co-deputy director — as a possible replacement.

According to the MS NOW report, based on unnamed sources, the president’s inner circle had been discussing Patel’s future in the bureau. The outlet, formerly known as MSNBC, stood by its story even after the White House refuted it.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt took to X to call the story “completely made up,” sharing a photo of Trump and Patel in the Oval Office, which she said was taken the same afternoon. She added that the president laughed off the claims, saying, “What? That’s totally false. Come on Kash, let’s take a picture to show them you’re doing a great job!”

Kash Patel, a long-time Trump loyalist who previously advised senior national security officials during Trump’s first term, has been a controversial figure in Washington. He has publicly advocated stripping the FBI of its intelligence-gathering responsibilities and removing employees who do not support the president’s agenda.

FBI directors are appointed for 10-year terms to shield the bureau from political influence, with Senate confirmation required for appointment. Patel took charge of the agency during Trump’s second term.

Meanwhile, more than 200 officials have been dismissed from the Justice Department — which oversees the FBI — since Trump returned to office in January, including dozens who had worked on criminal investigations involving the president or his allies.