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FBI Denies Kash Patel Russia Trip After False Media Report Sparks Controversy
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Firstpost•15-10-2026, 14:46
FBI Denies Kash Patel Russia Trip After False Media Report Sparks Controversy
- •Broadcaster MS NOW erroneously reported that FBI Director Kash Patel had landed in Russia for meetings with the FSB.
- •The FBI swiftly refuted the claim, releasing video footage proving Patel was attending a law enforcement appreciation event at Liberty University in Virginia.
- •MS NOW and correspondent Ken Dilanian later retracted the report and issued a correction, admitting Patel remained in the United States.
- •The false report sparked political controversy amid heightened scrutiny over potential diplomatic visits and past warnings from US lawmakers regarding national security risks.
Key Questions Answered
No, the FBI rejected MS NOW's report that Kash Patel had landed in Russia, confirming instead that he remained in the United States and was attending a law enforcement appreciation event at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The FBI shared footage and challenged the broadcaster's account on X by posting a video of Patel speaking on a panel at Liberty University in Virginia, while Patel himself slammed the report and demanded an apology.
Democratic lawmakers urged Patel to cancel the visit due to national security risks, while officials noted it coincided with sensitive timing ahead of the US midterm elections and amid scrutiny over Russian interference.
