US President Donald Trump has denied a report that he was considering removing FBI Director Kash Patel amid a string of controversies.

“No, he’s doing a great job, I think,” Trump told reporters Tuesday aboard Air Force One.

MS NOW reported earlier Tuesday that Trump was considering replacing Patel with FBI co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey, as concerns swirled over the director’s social media posts during high-profile investigations and the use of a government jet to visit his girlfriend.

“This story is completely made up,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded on X. She posted a photo of Trump and Patel that she said was taken in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

Bailey, the former Missouri attorney general, has for months been seen as a possible replacement-in-waiting for both Patel and his other deputy, Dan Bongino, known more for their conservative political commentary than law enforcement experience.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. A spokesperson for MS NOW said the organisation stood by its reporting.