The denial concerned reports that Sarah Fitzpatrick was being criminally investigated over an article portraying FBI Director Kash Patel negatively and alleging drinking habits.
An FBI spokesman said no such investigation exists and Fitzpatrick is not under scrutiny, while editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg said The Atlantic would resist any politically motivated retaliation.
The dispute comes as Patel pursues a $250m lawsuit against the magazine, raising press-freedom concerns despite the bureau's rejection of the reported probe.
As political violence rises, where is the line between ensuring security and protecting the free press from intimidation?
How can citizens build immunity to digital manipulation when algorithms are designed to reward outrage and division?