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FBI director warns media not to ‘cement false narrative’ as agencies probe Minnesota violence
By Max Bacall
Published January 27, 2026
FBI Director Kash Patel urged calm and caution as investigations into incidents involving federal agents play out in Minnesota.
"Do not let the media cement a false narrative. Let these investigations run its course," Patel said on "Hannity" Monday.
"Let us do our job with our inter-agency and state and local partners, and let's all take a breath and calm down the situation, because when investigations like this are run properly, like we've done under President Trump's leadership, that's the only way you can drop the murder rate 20 points."
FBI Director Kash Patel called for calm amid high-profile investigations into alleged crimes in Minnesota. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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Patel's comments came as the Department of Homeland Security probes two killings involving ICE and Border Patrol agents in Minnesota.
Patel also addressed the FBI's inquiry into a chat group on the Signal app that allegedly shares information about ICE agents’ movements.
"Only if you incite violence or threaten to do harm to law enforcement officials and break the law in any other way does it become an investigatory matter. So this Signal chat is something that we, the FBI, are looking at," he said.
Patel insisted his agency isn't targeting peaceful protesters, freedom of speech or the right to bear arms.
Scenes of vandalism in the northeast section of Minneapolis on Jan. 14, 2026. (Jamie Vera/Fox News)
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He added that the bureau arrested four people involved in stealing sensitive information from an FBI vehicle after vandalizing it, claiming the information was used to "threaten the lives of federal agents, [and their] wives and children."
Patel then noted that the FBI "led the charge to arrest those involved with violating the FACE Act" after anti-ICE protesters stormed a Minnesota church, stating that such a violation amounts to a federal charge.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/fbi-director-calls-calm-multiple-ice-investigations-continue-nationwide-amid-protests