• White House denies Trump plans to remove FBI Director Kash Patel.
• Press Secretary Leavitt states the report is "completely made up."
• Trump positively affirms Patel's performance and laughs off the rumors.

The White House has officially denied allegations that President Donald Trump is contemplating removing FBI Director Kash Patel. This announcement follows a report from MS NOW, which cited unnamed sources indicating that Trump and his aides were unhappy with Patel over unflattering media coverage, suggesting that Andrew Bailey, a top FBI official, was under consideration as a replacement, according to Reuters.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt firmly rejected the claims, describing them as "completely made up." In a bid to counter the rumor, she shared a photo of Trump with Patel in the Oval Office, emphasizing that the president was present during a discussion when the report was published. Trump allegedly laughed and stated, "That's totally false. Come on Kash, let's take a picture to show them you're doing a great job!” according to India Times and South China Morning Post.

Despite the White House's dismissal, the MS NOW report noted ongoing scrutiny of Patel’s conduct, particularly regarding his social media posts and usage of government jets for personal travel. Legal experts have raised concerns about these activities during high-profile investigations, although Trump expressed confidence in Patel's leadership, stating, "he's doing a great job" during an Air Force One press briefing, according to South China Morning Post and Reuters.