FBI temporarily paused cooperation with Canadian counterpart over CBC 9/11 references - report

FBI Director Kash Patel temporarily halted some cooperation with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police after the CBC reminded journalists not to refer to the 9/11 attacks as "terrorism" without expert attribution. The pause, revealed by the New York Times, risked disrupting operations and came amid tense US-Canada relations. The CBC later reversed its guidance. The US reportedly sought an apology, though it is unknown if one was issued.

FBI Director Kash Patel temporarily halted some cooperation with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) following an internal memo from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that reminded journalists not to refer to the 9/11 attacks as "terrorism" without attribution to an expert or authority. The New York Times reported the pause on Friday, citing multiple officials. The move, though short-lived and not covering all cooperation, risked disrupting operations and the FBI's relationship with Canada's national law enforcement agency. The pause came amid already tense US-Canada relations, as President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney continue a tariff war. The CBC reversed its stance in August after widespread criticism, issuing updated guidance allowing the term "terrorism" without attribution. Canadian Culture Minister Marc Miller called the original guidance "pedantic and foolish." Patel had threatened Canada in social media posts in late August, writing that any agency that did not "publicly reject this bastardization of history" would "no longer have friends in this FBI." The duration of the pause is unclear, but it appears to have ended around the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The US reportedly sought an apology, though it is unknown if one was issued.