F.B.I. Director Kash Patel, known for his passion for hockey, is again facing criticism for blurring the boundaries between his personal pursuits and official responsibilities.
Videos show Patel celebrating with the U.S. men’s hockey team in their locker room following their victory. In these clips, Patel is seen consuming beer, wearing a gold medal, and engaging in dancing and singing with the team members.
Patel’s visit to Milan, Italy, occurred simultaneously with several significant security incidents over the weekend. On Sunday, law enforcement personnel were present at Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s Florida residence, as reported by the Secret Service, in anticipation of an F.B.I.-involved investigation. Patel himself acknowledged the intrusion on X shortly before his celebratory activities, stating that the bureau was “dedicating all necessary resources” to the inquiry.
Concurrently, Trump is facing scrutiny for actions that could impact national security, and drug lord “El Mencho” died in a Mexican military operation on Sunday, which utilized U.S. intelligence and prompted the State Department to issue a “shelter in place” advisory for American citizens in certain Mexican regions. Furthermore, while F.B.I. investigators were actively searching for the missing mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, Patel was observed in a private box at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, watching the game against Canada.
“To the highly concerned media – indeed, I love America and felt profoundly honored when my friends, the recently crowned Gold Medalists of Team USA, invited me into their locker room to commemorate this historic occasion with the team,” Patel posted on X Sunday evening. “The greatest country on earth and the greatest sport on earth.”
Patel had previously drawn criticism following reports that he used a Justice Department jet to attend the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Spokesperson Ben Williamson subsequently defended the aircraft’s use in a statement on X, clarifying, “No, it’s not a personal trip. Director Patel is on a journey planned months in advance,” which involves meetings with Italian law enforcement and officials, as well as overseeing the F.B.I.’s “significant role in Olympic security,” according to Williamson.
“Kash just contacted me and asked me to include, ‘Please inform them that yes, I am cheering for the finest team on earth from the greatest nation on earth. Go Team USA,’” Williamson stated in a follow-up post on Thursday.
In December, congressional Democrats initiated an inquiry into Patel’s apparent use of government assets for personal purposes, including allegations that he utilized a private F.B.I. aircraft to journey to Pennsylvania to observe his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, perform at a wrestling event. Bloomberg Law reported that a high-ranking official responsible for aviation was removed from their position shortly after these disclosures, despite Patel’s flight itinerary being publicly accessible.
In a November statement on X, following reports of his attendance at the wrestling event, Patel declared, “Let me be unequivocal: we will not be sidetracked by unfounded rumors or the clamor from misinformed internet agitators and the fake news. … I and this FBI will remain intensely focused on our mission and persist with the reforms we pledged — reconstructing this Bureau from its foundations.”
Democrats have also accused Patel of employing the government aircraft for a “date night” in Tennessee, for private hunting in Texas, and for a golf resort visit in Scotland, in addition to allegedly taking measures to conceal the F.B.I. plane from public flight tracking services like Flight Aware. The bureau director has further faced criticism for actions that the agency claimed saved costs, and for providing SWAT team protection for his girlfriend.
“Mr. Patel, these aircraft do not belong to you. They are the property of the U.S. Government and are funded by American taxpayers. You have come to personify the corruption that the American populace detests,” wrote Rep. Jamie Raskin (D, Md.), the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D, Calif.) in a joint statement.
F.B.I. directors are mandated to use government aircraft for both official and personal travel to ensure access to secure communication channels. They are also obligated to compensate the government for personal flights at standard coach rates.
Williamson stated on Oct. 30 that F.B.I. directors are “required by Congress to travel on a government plane even for personal journeys,” and that “this FBI has implemented measures to significantly cut the costs of Director travel, both official and personal. For instance, when Kash flies, he opts for a government airfield instead of commercial airports like DCA, as the government alternative is approximately 2.5 times more economical.” Patel himself has previously criticized the F.B.I. regarding its expenditure of taxpayer funds on travel. In a 2023 episode of his podcast “Kash’s Corner,” he contended that Congress ought to restrict F.B.I. funding to compel the agency to release subpoenaed documents: “You ground [former F.B.I. Director] Chris Wray’s private jet that he pays for with taxpayer dollars to hop around the country. You take away the fancy new fleet of cars from DOJ that they’re going to use to shuffle around executives.”
