FBI Director Kash Patel has planned a trip to Russia, making him the first FBI director to visit the country in 13 years, according to a Politico report on Monday.
The trip is slated for October 14-15, as Washington and Moscow have hit a deadlock over how to stop the war in Ukraine and as lawmakers have called for sanctions against the country, Politico reported.
It's unclear if he will meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin or any of his top aides. The agenda for the visit was also unknown, sources told Politico.
"It would be an unusual and sensitive trip for an FBI chief to one of America’s top adversaries," according to Politico.
Patel has faced growing scrutiny from Congress in recent months over his frequent trips, and this trip to Moscow raises questions about his "history of involvement in controversial Russia-related matters dating to President Donald Trump’s first term, including trying to cast doubt on investigations into whether Trump colluded with Russia to help him win the 2016 election — an episode he now calls the 'Russiagate hoax.'"
Robert Mueller was the last FBI director to visit Russia in 2013, and later was appointed special counsel to investigate Russia's involvement with election interference.
"U.S. intelligence officials have concluded for years that Moscow has been behind efforts to sow discord and interfere in U.S. elections, findings supported by documents Trump declassified last week ahead of a speech intended to bolster support for his long-shot effort to overhaul U.S. voting laws," Politico reported. "The Kremlin has also been suspected to be behind major cybersecurity breaches of government agencies and private sector companies."'
News of the trip comes as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has faced off against senators in his confirmation hearings. Patel's trip in October "could prompt new questions from lawmakers about the Justice Department’s decision-making," according to Politico. In July, top Democratic leaders in the House and Senate Judiciary committees launched an investigation into Patel's potential use of taxpayer-funded resources.