FBI releases classified 'Patel Report' on past failures
Internal document examines bureau's history, drawing criticism and praise.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
FBI releases classified 'Patel Report' on past failures
Photograph: CTV News (embedded from source)
What this story says
- The FBI has issued a classified internal report to its employees titled the 'Patel Report,' which reviews past instances of the bureau's shortcomings.
- The report's existence aligns with FBI Director Kash Patel's criticisms of his predecessors and his stated aim to address politicization within the bureau.
- Critics contend that Patel is attempting to rewrite FBI history to favor Donald Trump and has weaponized the agency.
- An internal message described the report as marking the end of one historical chapter and the beginning of another.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 31 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 2 of the 33 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
42/100
Craft
57/100
Hype
20/100
33 sources · methodology
Thin on the right so far
Only 2 of the 31 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated right.
This story is still being watched, so it is a count and not yet a finding. Coverage keeps arriving for hours after an event, and a side that has published nothing this morning may publish by tonight. If it is still true when we stop checking, we will say so plainly.
The FBI has released a classified report to its workforce that examines chapters from the bureau's history where it "fell short," according to an internal message. The document is referred to as the 'Patel Report.' Its release aligns with FBI Director Kash Patel's criticisms of his predecessors and his stated intention to remove agents and employees he believes have politicized the bureau.
An internal message obtained by The Associated Press described the document as marking the "closing of one chapter in our history and the beginning of another." The FBI declined to comment on the report. The message also stated, "We cannot change what happened before we arrived. But we can confront it honestly. We can recognize failures instead of protecting them. We can hold people accountable. We can fix what was broken. And we can build safeguards strong enough to ensure the mistakes of the past are never allowed to define this institution again."
Disagreement on the report's purpose
Critics of Director Patel argue that he has weaponized the FBI and is attempting to rewrite its history in favor of President Donald Trump. They contend that his scrutiny of past decisions is part of this effort. The FBI message stated the report is meant to "promote fierce organizational accountability" and rebuild "public trust." However, critics also claim that politically charged investigations into perceived Trump adversaries and the punishment of agents involved in investigations of the former president have eroded public faith in the agency.
What the coverage left out
None of the right-rated reports mention the specific criticisms that Director Kash Patel has weaponized the FBI or is attempting to rewrite history in favor of President Donald Trump. Similarly, none of the right-rated reports detail the FBI message's full quote about confronting failures, holding people accountable, and building safeguards.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 4 times, most recently on 3 Oct 2026, 00:15, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
15 rated outlets
- Left-rated reports focused on the criticism surrounding FBI Director Kash Patel's role in the report's creation and its potential political motivations. Several reports highlighted that critics contend Patel has weaponized the FBI and is attempting to rewrite history in favor of President Donald Trump. The reports also noted that the document's existence is in keeping with Patel's frequent criticism of his predecessors. Some left-rated reports mentioned that the FBI has presided over terminations of employees who participated in investigations of Donald Trump or who were photographed during a racial justice protest.
Centre
14 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports highlighted the FBI's release of the classified 'Patel Report' examining past failures. These reports included details from an internal message stating the document marks the "closing of one chapter in our history and the beginning of another." They also noted that the report's existence aligns with Director Kash Patel's criticisms of past FBI leadership. Some centre-rated reports mentioned that it was unclear what specific episodes from the FBI's past were chronicled in the report.
Right
2 rated outlets
- The right-rated reports focused on the FBI releasing a classified 'Patel Report' to its workforce examining times when the bureau "fell short." These reports noted that the document's existence is in keeping with Director Kash Patel's criticism of his predecessors. The reports did not include details about criticisms of Patel or his alleged motivations.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover FBI releases classified 'Patel Report' on past failures?
- Of the 31 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 48% are rated left, 45% are rated centre, 7% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 33. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is FBI releases classified 'Patel Report' on past failures left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 31 rated outlets on this story, 48% are rated left, 45% are rated centre, 7% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of FBI releases classified 'Patel Report' on past failures biased?
- FBI releases classified 'Patel Report' on past failures is one event reported by 33 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting FBI releases classified 'Patel Report' on past failures?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated right had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered FBI releases classified 'Patel Report' on past failures?
- 33 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What is the 'Patel Report'?
- The 'Patel Report' is a classified internal document released by the FBI to its workforce. It examines historical instances where the bureau is stated to have 'fell short,' according to an internal message.
- Why has the FBI released this report?
- The report's existence aligns with FBI Director Kash Patel's criticisms of his predecessors and his stated aim to address perceived politicization within the bureau. An internal message described it as marking the 'closing of one chapter in our history and the beginning of another.'
- What are the criticisms of the 'Patel Report'?
- Critics contend that Director Kash Patel is attempting to rewrite FBI history to favor President Donald Trump and has weaponized the agency. They argue that his scrutiny of past decisions is part of this effort, potentially eroding public trust.
Read it at the source
33 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
15- Kash Patel criticizes the FBI, but he’s certainly fallen short (opens Daily Kos in a new tab)
Daily Kos — is Daily Kos biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Kash Patel slaps his name on classified review of FBI 'failures': report (opens Raw Story in a new tab)
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when the bureau 'fell short' (opens Los Angeles Times in a new tab)
Los Angeles Times — is Los Angeles Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified ‘Patel Report’ about times when it ‘fell short’ (opens Durango Herald in a new tab)
Durango Herald — is Durango Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens Reflector in a new tab)
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens The Daily Item in a new tab)
The Daily Item — is The Daily Item biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI releases classified ‘Patel Report’ examining past failures at the bureau - The Boston Globe (opens Boston Globe in a new tab)
Boston Globe — is Boston Globe biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified ‘Patel Report’ about times when it ‘fell short’ (opens WellandTribune.ca in a new tab)
WellandTribune.ca — is WellandTribune.ca biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 7 more
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens NiagaraFallsReview.ca in a new tab)
NiagaraFallsReview.ca — is NiagaraFallsReview.ca biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified ‘Patel Report’ about times when it ‘fell short’ (opens The Toronto Star in a new tab)
The Toronto Star — is The Toronto Star biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified ‘Patel Report’ about times when it ‘fell short’ (opens The Seattle Times in a new tab)
The Seattle Times — is The Seattle Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI releases classified ‘Patel Report’ examining past failures at the bureau (opens The Independent (US) in a new tab)
The Independent (US) — is The Independent (US) biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI releases classified ‘Patel Report’ examining past failures at the bureau (opens ABC News in a new tab)
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens Associated Press News in a new tab)
Associated Press News — is Associated Press News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI releases classified ‘Patel Report’ examining past failures at the bureau (opens The Independent in a new tab)
The Independent — is The Independent biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
14- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens Hometown News LP in a new tab)
Hometown News LP — is Hometown News LP biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens WFMZ in a new tab)
- FBI gives employees a classified ‘Patel Report’ about times when it ‘fell short’ (opens My Mother Lode in a new tab)
My Mother Lode — is My Mother Lode biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens CTV News in a new tab)
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens KTBS in a new tab)
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens The Daily Advance in a new tab)
The Daily Advance — is The Daily Advance biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified ‘Patel Report’ about times when it ‘fell short’ (opens The Record in a new tab)
The Record — is The Record biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified ‘Patel Report’ about times when it ‘fell short’ (opens The Virginian Pilot in a new tab)
The Virginian Pilot — is The Virginian Pilot biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 6 more
- FBI releases classified ‘Patel Report’ examining past failures at the bureau – WTOP News (opens Washington Top News in a new tab)
Washington Top News — is Washington Top News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times (opens WBAL in a new tab)
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens News 4 JAX in a new tab)
News 4 JAX — is News 4 JAX biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens WKMG in a new tab)
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens WPLG in a new tab)
- FBI releases classified ‘Patel Report’ examining past failures at the bureau (opens Winnipeg Free Press in a new tab)
Winnipeg Free Press — is Winnipeg Free Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
2- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens The Batesville Daily Guard in a new tab)
The Batesville Daily Guard — is The Batesville Daily Guard biased? Our profile of this outlet
- FBI gives employees a classified 'Patel Report' about times when it 'fell short' (opens KRCG in a new tab)
Not rated
2How did this read?
About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.
