Donald Trump Poses Up With Under-Fire Kash Patel Amid Claims He's 'Considering Replacing' FBI Director Over Controversies Surrounding Private Jets and Country Star Girlfriend
Donald Trump posed with Kash Patel in the White House in a bid to shoot down claims he's considering replacing the under-fire FBI chief.
Nov. 26 2025, Published 2:45 p.m. ET
Donald Trump has put on a show of solidarity with under-fire Kash Patel amid claims the president is considering axing the FBI director over recent controversies, RadarOnline.com.
The 45-year-old is reportedly "on thin ice" as Trump and his aides have become fed up with the unfavorable news coverage Patel has recently generated.
Defending Patel
Reports suggested Patel could be replaced by Trump who's grown tired of his controversies.
In recent weeks, the nation's top law enforcement official has come under scrutiny for his use of government aircraft, the security detail assigned to his country star girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, and conflicts with other administration members.
Sources claim Co-Deputy FBI Director Andrew Bailey is being eyed as his replacement.
However, Trump appears to be sticking my his man, issuing a response via White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who denied the claims.
Leavitt added when the news broke, she happened to be in the middle of an Oval Office meeting with the president and Patel.
'You're Doing a Great Job!'
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt snapped Patel and Trump together in the Oval Office.
"I read the headline to the President, and he laughed. He said, 'What? That’s totally false. Come on, Kash, let's take a picture to show them you’re doing a great job!" Leavitt wrote, attaching a photo of the pair smiling and giving a thumbs up.
Since his Senate confirmation in February, Patel has frequently been dogged by negative headlines.
In November, it reported that Patel, a former Florida public defender, had come under intense scrutiny for using a government jet for multiple personal trips, including to a luxury resort in Texas and to his girlfriend Alexis Wilkins' home in Tennessee.
FBI and administration insiders have accused Patel of jumping the gun in publicizing ongoing investigations.
He publicly disclosed an investigation into a "potential" terror plot on Halloween near Detroit before investigators had a chance to fully establish the facts, including whether an attack was actually imminent.
Heavy Security for Patel's Girlfriend
Patel's co-deputy FBI Director Andrew Bailey is being eyed as his replacement, according to new claims.
Last week, the FBI director also faced criticism after a report emerged that his girlfriend had been assigned an FBI SWAT team for her personal protection.
The agents assigned to protect Wilkins typically work in a Nashville field office, sources claimed. They're trained to handle major incidents, such as terror attacks and mass shootings.
"There is no legitimate justification for this," Christopher O’Leary, a former senior FBI agent, said. "This is a clear abuse of position and misuse of government resources. She is not his spouse, does not live in the same house or even the same city."
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Patel has been criticized for reportedly assigning an FBI SWAT team to provide personal protection for his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins.
In early November, after reports that he had used a government jet to go and watch her sing, he wrote on X that 27-year-old Wilkins has "done more for this nation than most will in ten lifetimes."
"I've always said, criticize me all you want. But going after the people doing great work, my personal life, or those around me is a total disgrace,” he cried.
"The disgustingly baseless attacks against Alexis, a true patriot and the woman I’m proud to call my partner in life, are beyond pathetic."
