Trump won’t let the lies be pushed anymore.
In a decisive legal action, FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a defamation suit against MSNBC’s Frank Figliuzzi, alleging he deliberately broadcast a false and damaging statement on national television.
According to court documents filed in Texas, Figliuzzi — a former FBI official and longtime critic of President Trump — falsely claimed Patel was spending more time in Las Vegas nightclubs than inside FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The accusation was made on a May 2 broadcast of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, where Figliuzzi suggested that Director Patel was neglecting his duties in favor of late-night partying. Patel’s legal team didn’t hold back, stating:
“This wasn’t a slip of the tongue — it was a calculated lie meant to damage Director Patel’s character and credibility.”
The suit goes on to note that “since taking office, Director Patel has not spent a single minute inside any nightclub.” It accuses Figliuzzi of “malicious intent” and a “clear personal vendetta” stemming from his opposition to Trump-aligned officials.
MSNBC’s own anchor, Jonathan Lemire, acknowledged the falsehood the very next day, calling it a “misstatement” and admitting the network never verified the claim. Despite that, MSNBC has refused to issue an official apology or correction — a move critics say reflects the network’s double standard when it comes to smearing conservative figures.
Figliuzzi, now a senior intelligence analyst at MSNBC and NBC News, served over 20 years in the FBI. He has used his media platform to repeatedly target Trump allies — a pattern conservatives say has gone unchecked for too long.
Patel’s lawsuit marks a pivotal moment, with many on the Right applauding the effort to hold mainstream media accountable for politically motivated attacks.
“We’re finally seeing someone stand up to the lies,” said one senior legal analyst. “This could be a turning point in the fight against media disinformation targeting conservatives.”
MSNBC has declined to comment on the lawsuit.