Newsletters
FBI Director Kash Patel is planning to visit Russia in mid-October, with stops expected in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Politico reported, citing a U.S. official and another person familiar with the plans.
The proposed visit would be unusual and politically sensitive for the head of the FBI, particularly as Washington and Moscow remain divided over the war in Ukraine and U.S. lawmakers press for tougher sanctions against Russia.
Patel is tentatively scheduled to visit Moscow and St. Petersburg on Oct. 14 and 15, according to a U.S. official. His likely host will be the Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia’s domestic security service and the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB.
A second person confirmed that Patel was preparing for a fall visit that would include both cities. Both sources spoke anonymously because the travel plans are sensitive.
While the trip is still subject to change, it remains unclear whether Patel will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin or other senior political figures, as no agenda details have been disclosed.
It has been years since a serving FBI director traveled to Moscow, although other senior U.S. intelligence officials have visited Russia.
Robert Mueller was the last FBI director known to have made such a trip, visiting in 2013. He was later appointed special counsel to investigate links between Russia and Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, as well as wider Russian efforts to interfere in U.S. elections.
Then-CIA director Mike Pompeo defended keeping communication channels open with Russia in a 2018 letter, particularly on shared concerns such as counterterrorism.
“We vigorously defend America in these encounters and pull no punches,” Pompeo said at the time.
U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded for years that Moscow was behind attempts to interfere in American elections and sow political division.
Those findings were supported by documents Trump declassified last week ahead of a speech intended to build support for his effort to overhaul U.S. voting laws.
The Kremlin has also been suspected of involvement in major cyberattacks targeting government agencies and private companies.
Patel rose to prominence while serving on the House Intelligence Committee in 2017 and 2018, when the Republican-led panel investigated Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Republicans on the committee concluded that Russia carried out an influence campaign to “undermine the U.S. liberal democratic order,” but rejected the intelligence community’s finding that Moscow sought to help Trump win the election.
Patel later became a vocal critic of investigations into possible coordination between Trump’s campaign and Russia, describing them as the “Russiagate hoax.”
Between Trump’s presidential terms, Patel continued questioning the origins of the Russia investigation and wrote children’s books mocking Democrats involved in the inquiry.
He also faced scrutiny over a $25,000 payment connected to his work on a film financed by a company linked to the Kremlin.
During Trump’s first term, Patel served on the National Security Council. In 2020, he secretly traveled to meet Syrian government officials in an attempt to secure the release of two American hostages.
Patel’s travel and spending decisions as FBI director have attracted criticism from Congress and, at times, concern within the White House.
He attended the men’s hockey gold medal game at the Winter Olympics in Italy, saying the trip was necessary for the extradition of a Chinese hacker.
He also went snorkeling last summer near a battleship sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and has been accused of using a government aircraft to attend a performance by his girlfriend, a country music singer.
Earlier this month, the leading Democrats on the House and Senate Judiciary committees opened a joint investigation into Patel’s possible misuse of taxpayer-funded resources.
News of the Russia trip also comes as acting Attorney General Todd Blanche seeks Senate confirmation and could raise further questions among lawmakers about Justice Department decision-making.
Senior Biden administration officials largely avoided visits to Russia after Moscow launched its full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022, although the U.S. Embassy in Moscow remained open.
Trump has sought to reduce tensions with Putin during his second term.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner have traveled to Russia several times, including for meetings with Putin aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Trump met Putin in Anchorage last year.
Rodney Mims Cook Jr., chairman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum last month. Russian state media reported that he described the visit as a Washington “pivot” toward Russia.
Despite those contacts, U.S. and Russian officials have failed to reach an agreement to end the Ukraine war.
Lawmakers from both parties remain cautious about Moscow and are urging Trump to support legislation imposing steep penalties, including tariffs, on Russian entities.
Trump has recently said he wants the bill to include sanctions on Iran as well.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
