The story so far
- Kash Patel Reportedly Plans Russia Trip Alarming FBI Insiders3 sources
- FBI Says Kash Patel Is in Virginia, Not RussiaYou are here
- MS NOW Retracts Report Placing Patel in Russia3 sourcesLatest
Updated 1h ago · Politics
FBI Says Kash Patel Is in Virginia, Not Russia
MS NOW reported Wednesday that FBI Director Kash Patel had landed in Russia, citing two people familiar with the matter. The FBI said he was in Virginia.
- 2 MS NOW programs aired the report, with anchors Peter Alexander and Alicia Menendez.
- Reporter Ken Dilanian described a two-day trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg.
- Dilanian said the FSB was hosting the trip.
- The FBI posted video of Patel at a Liberty University law enforcement event.
Why it matters: The FBI's public rebuttal directly contradicted a network report built on anonymous sources. A Russia trip by Patel had been reported as planned for mid-October.
- Politico reported in July on plans for a mid-October Patel visit to Russia.
- Menendez cited an Atlantic report of an internal push to cancel the trip.
How 13 sources split on this story
Source landscape
Factuality
High
Mixed
Low
Strong LeftLeftLean LeftCenterLean RightRightStrong Right
Political Bias
Coverage by lean
13 sources · 13 articles · 62% Right coverage
Where they split: Coverage divides over whether the episode is mainly a media failure or mainly an administration attack on the press.
Center3 sources
Left coverage, 2 sources: The left focuses on the FBI and White House response, which it describes as a barrage of criticism against the network.
Right coverage, 8 sources: The right sees a false report from MS NOW, built on unverified anonymous sources, that the FBI exposed.
New York Post5hKash Patel is not in Russia, FBI reveals — exposing false MS Now reportNewsBusters4hFAKE NEWS: Dilanian Says Kash Patel Traveled to Russia (He Was in Virginia)Daily Mail2hFBI bashes MS NOW for false report claiming Director Kash Patel had landed in Russia for secret meetingsJust the News23hFBI provides clip of Kash Patel at Liberty U event, disputing MS NOW report placing him in RussiaThe Daily Wire23hFBI Makes Lefty Network Regret Its Kash Patel ScoopThe Right Scoop4hHAHA VIDEO - MS NOW just reported that Kash Patel is in Russia...but he's NOT!Townhall9hMS NOW Just Embarrassed Itself With This Fake 'Breaking News' About FBI Director Kash PatelWashington Examiner2hKash Patel shreds MS Now over false report claiming he was in Russia
What’s next: MS NOW had not responded to requests for comment when the coverage published.
- Patel said the network owes an apology to the FBI and the public.
- Whether Patel still plans a trip to Russia, and when.
- Whether MS NOW will correct or stand by its reporting.
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