FBI Director Kash Patel is planning on visiting Russia at some point this year, Politico reported on Monday, citing an unnamed US official and a person familiar with the situation.
According to the US official, Patel is scheduled to visit Moscow in mid-October and also visit St. Petersburg. The official also told Politico that Patel's host is likely to be the Russian secret service, commonly known by the acronym FSB.
Patel's agenda for discussion remains unclear, as do the details on who he will be meeting with. White House spokespeople referred Politico to the FBI for comment, while spokespeople for the FBI and Justice Department did not respond.
Patel has spent years as FBI director denying claims of Russian interference in the United States election process, particularly in US President Donald Trump's first election in 2016.
Politico reported that Patel had previously been paid $25,000 dollars by a film company linked to the Kremlin in 2024, after participating in a documentary series entitled All the President’s Men: The Conspiracy Against Trump.
Patel accused of excessive drinking
Patel has also faced criticism over his alleged episodes of excessive drinking, which resulted in his grilling by Democratic lawmakers during a hearing before a Senate budget panel in May.
During the panel, lawmakers questioned Patel about a report in the Atlantic magazine that detailed instances of "conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences" during his tenure that had alarmed officials at the FBI and the Justice Department.
Patel has sued the Atlantic and its reporter over the article, accusing them of defamation. The magazine has said it stands behind its reporting.
Reuters contributed to this report.