It’s another day which means another liberal news outlet has reported on President Donald Trump and alleged turmoil in his administration. The White House has shut down the report as fake news once again.

The latest comes from MSNBC which claimed that FBI Director Kash Patel was reportedly on his way out. The report stated that President Trump is considering removing Kash Patel as FBI director in the coming months as he and his top aides have grown increasingly frustrated by the unflattering headlines Patel has recently generated.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saw the article and found a pretty clever way to respond. She posted a smiling photo of the two men which has since gone viral.

“This story is completely made up. In fact, when this Fake News published, I was in the Oval Office, where President Trump was meeting with his law enforcement team, including FBI Director Kash Patel.”

Leavitt continued describing the president’s reaction.

“I read the headline to the President, and he laughed. He said: ‘What? That’s totally false. Come on, Kash, let’s take a picture to show them you’re doing a great job!’ Do not believe the Fake News!”

Leavitt’s post included a photo that is pretty great with President Trump and Patel standing next to each other in the Oval Office. Both men are smiling in the snap with big grins on their faces as they give thumbs up.

The fake news comes just days after the White House had to shut down a CNN report claiming there will be a shakeup in Trump’s Cabinet as President Trump reaches the one-year mark of his second presidency.

In a Friday post on X, Leavitt slammed the network’s correspondent’s post that read that the White House is preparing for possible turnover in the Cabinet after President Trump reaches the one-year mark of his term. The post stated that at least one of the agencies that could see change is the Department of Homeland Security.

The post linked to a CNN piece with a headline that read Trump officials prepare for potential cabinet shake-up after one-year mark claiming this was according to multiple people familiar with discussions.

“This story is 100% Fake News, and the White House repeatedly told this to CNN in the strongest possible terms. Yet they still wrote the story because their ratings are dying, so they thrive off drama that does not exist.”

Leavitt continued defending the administration’s unity.

“The truth is: President Trump could not be happier with his Cabinet. Shame on you, CNN.”

The back-to-back fake news incidents demonstrate a pattern in how legacy media outlets operate. They publish stories based on anonymous sources claiming turmoil or conflict within the Trump administration without any real evidence to back up their claims.

When the White House pushes back and provides proof the stories are false, the outlets rarely issue corrections or apologies. They simply move on to the next manufactured controversy hoping something will eventually stick.

Trump’s decision to immediately take a photo with Patel shows he understands how to combat fake news in the modern era. A picture of two smiling men giving thumbs up speaks louder than any press release or denial statement.

The viral photo reached millions of people on social media within hours of being posted. This direct communication with the public bypasses the legacy media gatekeepers who have spent years trying to shape negative narratives about the administration.

Leavitt has proven herself an effective spokesperson in countering false reports. Her quick response and willingness to call out specific outlets by name puts pressure on them to be more careful with their reporting.

CNN and MSNBC continue to struggle with declining viewership as audiences grow tired of coverage that consistently proves inaccurate. Their reliance on anonymous sources for stories that turn out to be false has damaged their credibility with many Americans.

The Patel story is particularly absurd given that the FBI Director has been implementing major reforms that align with Trump’s vision for the agency. There would be no logical reason for the president to want him removed during successful implementation of his agenda.

Trump’s Cabinet has remained remarkably stable compared to his first term. The lack of actual turnover makes stories predicting imminent departures even more suspect.