The controversy stems from Figliuzzi’s comments during a May 2 appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, where he claimed:
“Reportedly, he’s been visible at nightclubs far more than he has been on the seventh floor of the Hoover Building. And there are reports that daily briefings to him have been changed from every day to maybe twice weekly.”
He added that the prevailing sentiment within the FBI was one of “chaos,” saying, “People don’t know what’s happening from day to day.”
The lawsuit alleges that Figliuzzi knowingly spread false information. “Since becoming Director of the FBI, Director Patel has not spent a single minute inside of a nightclub,” the suit states, asserting that the comment was a deliberate fabrication driven by Figliuzzi’s personal animus toward Patel.
The day after Figliuzzi’s remarks aired, Morning Joe correspondent Jonathan Lemire issued a clarification, stating:
“Figliuzzi said that FBI Director Kash Patel has reportedly been more visible at nightclubs than at his office at FBI headquarters. This was a misstatement. We have not verified that claim.”
Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino also came to Patel’s defense, addressing the allegations directly on the social media platform X. In a post, Bongino expressed frustration over media misinformation and gave an update on the bureau’s priorities.
“I have no desire to sugarcoat this one—it’s been difficult in this new role to stay relatively quiet while certain elements of the media continue to fabricate stories about what we’re doing at the FBI,” Bongino wrote. “But that’s part of the job as a public servant. I don’t work for myself anymore. I work for the public.”
Bongino specifically addressed the allegations targeting Patel:
“The Director’s office is attached to mine. I’m in most of the briefings he’s in. He spends anywhere between 10–12 hours in the office daily, meeting with everyone from foreign law enforcement heads to our counterterror teams. Any assertion otherwise is a verifiable lie designed to disrupt our reforms and erode public trust. I will die on this hill.”
Bongino also highlighted recent bureau initiatives, particularly around border security and public safety.
“The workforce has been working overtime on task force operations to remove dangerous illegal aliens from the country. These operations will reshape the national crime landscape, especially when paired with the administration’s focus on securing the border,” he wrote.
He also emphasized efforts targeting child exploitation:
“Crimes against children are a top priority. Operation ‘Restoring Justice’ led to the arrest of 764 child predators across the country—and that’s just the beginning. If you’ve targeted children, we’re coming for you.”
The lawsuit and ensuing defense by top FBI officials underscore the ongoing friction between the bureau’s leadership and certain media narratives, as well as the broader political tensions surrounding law enforcement reform efforts under the Trump administration.