US Democrats call on FBI Director Kash Patel to cancel upcoming trip to Russia

Two top House Democrats are urging FBI Director Kash Patel to cancel a reported trip to Russia, warning in an Oct. 9 letter that the visit could pose security risks.

Politico first reported in July that Patel was planning a fall visit to Russia, where he will be hosted by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).  He is allegedly set to visit both Moscow and St. Petersburg during the trip, which is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 14.

In the letter, Rep. Jamie Raskin and Rep. Jim Himes urged the FBI director to cancel the trip, citing “urgent national security concerns,” including the FSB's history of conducting espionage operations against American officials.

Rep. Jamie Raskin is a Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee and Rep. Himes is a Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

The Democrats refer to Russia as a "hostile foreign power" and question why the FBI Director would visit a country that "has been committing war crimes, conducting influence operations against U.S. elections, conducting malicious cyberattacks against our critical infrastructure, and helping our adversaries target and kill American soldiers?"

The letter described the visit as part of the FBI’s expanded cooperation with Russian and Chinese law enforcement agencies, citing Reuters reports that Patel has forged new partnerships with agencies in both countries.

In their letter to Patel, officials also question the timing of the FBI director's visit, citing the sanctions bill signed by President Trump which targets Russia's economy over its war against Ukraine.

Yet, on the same day the letter was published, Trump announced that Russia would supply U.S. and global markets with millions of tons of Russian diesel.

"This is why I voted against the Russia sanctions bill," Rep. Himes wrote on social media on Oct. 9. "Trump was never going to sanction Russia. He's going to refill Putin’s coffers and get an oil deal done to enrich his cronies."

The FBI has not replied to the letter or confirmed Patel's travel plans.

Since taking over the bureau in February 2025, Patel has sought closer ties with Moscow. This has raised concerns within the FBI, given the Kremlin's history of aggressive intelligence operations against the United States, according to an Oct. 9 investigation by The Atlantic.

Patel has previously called on Congress to investigate how U.S. aid to Ukraine is being used, and has criticized the amount of aid being sent.

The Trump appointee has also taken money from pro-Kremlin operatives in the past, according to the Washington Post. Patel received $25,000 in 2024 from a film company run by pro-Kremlin filmmaker Igor Lopatonok, the WP reported in Feb. 2025.

While the role of FBI director has traditionally been considered independent from government influence, U.S. national security expert Evelyn Farkas has described Patel as one of Trump's "yes men."