U.S. media outlets on November 25 cited sources saying that President Trump and his top aides have become increasingly frustrated with what they view as negative issues stemming from Patel’s leadership. According to those reports, aides told their allies that the President was weighing Patel’s removal next month and was considering senior FBI official Andrew Bailey as a potential replacement.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X that the report was “completely fabricated,” posting a photo of Trump and Patel together in the Oval Office on November 25.
Leavitt explained that Trump and Patel were in a meeting when the dismissal rumor surfaced. The President reportedly laughed and said, “What? That’s totally false. Come on, Kash, let’s take a photo so everyone can see you’re doing a great job!” In a separate statement sent to the press, the White House praised Patel’s work.
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“President Trump has assembled one of the most talented and impressive administrations in history, and they are executing his agenda exceptionally well. FBI Director Patel is a key member of the team and is working tirelessly to restore the Bureau’s credibility,” the White House said.
Patel has faced criticism from both the left and the right since Trump appointed him to lead the nation’s top law-enforcement agency. He angered Trump loyalists in July when he released a memo on the investigation into sex-offender billionaire Jeffrey Epstein that offered no new revelations. Some Trump supporters believe that elites within the so-called “deep state” have protected individuals close to Epstein inside the Democratic Party and Hollywood.
Fox News reported in September that tensions between Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi had become especially strained, though he continued to maintain the White House’s confidence.
Patel also drew criticism following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a university in Utah. The FBI director initially announced an arrest just hours after the shooting but later admitted the suspect was wrongly detained and released. The actual gunman was eventually captured after a 33-hour manhunt.