MS NOW excitedly informed its audience that FBI Director Kash Patel had just arrived in Russia, but in reality, he was delivering a speech in Virginia.
The FBI’s Rapid Response account quickly corrected this misinformation on X, sharing a clip of the network’s Wednesday show alongside footage of Patel at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
“MS Now’s ‘sources’ are ‘familiar’ with NOTHING!” the account posted, noting that Patel had attended a law enforcement appreciation event organized by Virginia Republican Rep. John McGuire.
Left: MS Now reports two sources familiar say Kash Patel just landed in Russia Right: Here’s where Kash Patel actually is… Liberty U, doing a law enforcement appreciation event MS Now’s “sources” are “familiar” with NOTHING! https://t.co/4i26hV70VW
— FBI Rapid Response (@FBI_Response) October 14, 2026
Anchor Peter Alexander began the segment by referencing two unnamed sources who said that Patel had landed in Russia for a meeting. Correspondent Ken Dilanian then added to the narrative with cautionary remarks about potential risks, suggesting that the FSB could be monitoring the director and attempting to access his devices, while his intentions for being there remained ambiguous.
About two hours later, Dilanian returned to update viewers, admitting the earlier report had been incorrect. “We regret this error,” he stated on MS NOW.
Patel responded on X, accusing the network of spreading falsehoods about the FBI and demanding a public apology. The FBI’s assistant director for public affairs, Ben Williamson, chimed in on the platform, sharing that he had seen the breaking news report just as images of Patel at the Lynchburg event came through to him.
MS NOW just reported I had “landed in Russia” for meetings with the FSB. The same outlet constantly tells lies about this FBI and law enforcement’s historic achievements in safeguarding the American people. The results speak for themselves: • 53,969+ violent crime arrests (up 90%) • Nearly 20% decrease in the nationwide murder rate • 31,016+ violent criminals and gang members arrested (up 30%) • 10 of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted fugitives captured (2.5× the prior four years) • 11,081+ child victims located and identified (up 21%) • 3,258+ kilos of fentanyl seized (up 8%) — enough to kill 247+ million Americans This is no accident. It is due to the relentless work of this FBI and all of our state, local, and tribal partners. They owe an apology to this FBI, the men and women of law enforcement, and to the American people. -DKP🇺🇸
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) October 14, 2026
In July, Politico had reported that Patel was tentatively scheduled to visit Moscow and St. Petersburg on October 14 and 15, with expectations that the FSB would be the hosting agency for that trip. If it occurs, it would mark the first visit of an FBI director to Russia since Robert Mueller in 2013.
Additionally, Patel’s fiancée, country music artist Alexis Wilkins, has filed a lawsuit against MS NOW and Dilanian over what she claims are false accusations that Patel had directed FBI agents to escort her intoxicated friends home after nights out in Nashville, according to Mediaite.
