The White House is forcefully pushing back against an MS NOW report that President Donald Trump was mulling the ouster of FBI Director Kash Patel.
On Tuesday, MS NOW published a report, citing three unnamed sources, claiming Trump was "considering removing Kash Patel as FBI director in the coming months, as he and his top aides have grown increasingly frustrated by the unflattering headlines Patel has recently generated."
"Patel has come under scrutiny for his stewardship of bureau resources, including his girlfriend’s security detail and use of a government jet, and for his squabbles with other Trump loyalists," MS NOW wrote. "Trump and White House aides have confided to allies that the president is eyeing removing Patel and is considering top FBI official Andrew Bailey as the bureau’s new director, according to the three people.
"Patel is described as being on thin ice, and his ouster appears closer than ever, with Bailey as the logical replacement, two of the sources with knowledge of the situation said, though Trump could change his mind in the weeks to come," the report continued.
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The report included a statement from a White House spokesperson who said Patel was "a critical member of the president’s team, and he is working tirelessly to restore integrity to the FBI."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took to social media to declare the report "Fake News."
"This story is completely made up," Leavitt posted on X. "In fact, when this Fake News published, I was in the Oval Office, where President Trump was meeting with his law enforcement team, including FBI Director Kash Patel.
"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!'
"Do not believe the Fake News!" Leavitt added, including a photo of Trump and Patel together.
MS NOW correspondent Ken Dilanian, one of the reporters behind the story, said he wasn't surprised by Leavitt's denial when he appeared on the network moments later. MS NOW is the new name for progressive cable channel MSNBC.
"I said in the last hour that we may have enhanced Kash Patel's job security by reporting this story. And that seems to be playing out," Dilanian jokingly told anchor Katy Tur.
Dilanian said he received text messages from his FBI sources after the story was published telling him he was "spot on." He also noted that Bailey, who joined the FBI in August, needs to exceed a 90-day threshold under the federal vacancies law to be nominated for Patel's job.
Despite Leavitt's strong denial, Dilanian doubled down.
"And, so, look, it's anybody's guess how this is all going to play out, but it is absolutely our reporting that, of course, [Attorney General] Pam Bondi and [Deputy Attorney General] Todd Blanche, but also the White House and Donald Trump have grown annoyed with the bad press that Patel has been racking up," Dilanian said.
A spokesperson for MS NOW told Fox News Digital the network stands by its reporting.