Democrats urge FBI director Kash Patel to cancel a Russia trip hosted by the FSB

Two of the top House Democrats are asking FBI director Kash Patel to cancel a trip to Russia, to be hosted by the Federal Security Service (FSB). In an October 9 letter, Jamie Raskin and Jim Himes warn that the visit carries security risks.

Moscow and St. Petersburg

According to the Kyiv Independent, Politico reported in July that Patel was planning a fall visit to Russia hosted by the FSB. The FBI director is reportedly set to visit Moscow and St. Petersburg, with the trip tentatively scheduled for October 14. The FBI has not replied to the letter or confirmed the trip.

Raskin is the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee and Himes the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In the letter they cite “urgent national security concerns”, among them the FSB’s history of espionage operations against American officials.

“Hostile foreign power”

The two Democrats call Russia a “hostile foreign power” and ask why the FBI director would visit a country that “has been committing war crimes, conducting influence operations against U.S. elections, conducting malicious cyberattacks against our critical infrastructure, and helping our adversaries target and kill American soldiers”.

The letter places the visit within the FBI’s expanded cooperation with Russian and Chinese law enforcement agencies, citing Reuters reporting that Patel has forged new partnerships with agencies in both countries. It also questions the timing, since President Donald Trump has signed a sanctions law targeting Russia’s economy over the war in Ukraine.

The diesel deal

On the same day the letter was published, Trump announced the agreement with Vladimir Putin to let millions of tons of Russian diesel be supplied to US and international markets. “This is why I voted against the Russia sanctions bill,” Himes wrote on social media. “Trump was never going to sanction Russia. He’s going to refill Putin’s coffers and get an oil deal done to enrich his cronies.”

Concerns inside the FBI

Since taking over the FBI in February 2025, Patel has sought closer ties with Moscow. According to an investigation by The Atlantic published on October 9, this has raised concerns inside the bureau, given the history of Russian intelligence operations against the United States. The Washington Post reported in February 2025 that Patel received $25,000 in 2024 from a production company run by pro-Kremlin filmmaker Igor Lopatonok. Patel has also previously called on Congress to investigate how US aid to Ukraine is used.