Kash Patel Celebrates With U.S. Men's Hockey Team as FBI Balances Major Domestic Probes
FBI Director Kash Patel chugged beer and sprayed it over members of the American men's hockey team after their gold-medal win in Italy, and the moment landed while kash patel's agency was handling several urgent domestic crises — including a Mar-a-Lago intruder who was shot dead by the Secret Service. The incident appeared alongside a morning roundup that also highlighted a snowstorm blasting the Northeast, violence in Mexico after a drug lord's death, and the moments that defined the Winter Olympics.
Kash Patel’s Locker Room Celebration
The director joined rowdy celebrations following the United States' historic 2-1 victory over Canada at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. It was the men’s team’s first Olympic gold in 46 years, the first since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice. " A video posted online by reporter William Turton, who said it had been sent to him by "a source, " shows the director downing a beer and spraying the remaining contents over team members. The footage has been verified and Patel acknowledged that he was present.
The Milan Video: What It Shows
The video shows the director banging on a table before a gold medal is placed around his neck by someone else in the locker room. He then joined the team in jumping up and down and screaming the lyrics to "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue, " by the late Toby Keith. The scene drew immediate attention because it coincided with significant security and investigative activities back in the United States.
Domestic Crises: Mar-a-Lago Intruder, Mexico Violence, Missing Citizen
The locker-room celebrations occurred while investigators were managing multiple urgent matters, including a Secret Service shooting that killed an armed man who had entered President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Later context notes that the Mar-a-Lago intruder incident happened while Trump was in the White House rather than in Florida. Coverage of the week also emphasized violence that erupted in Mexico after the country's army killed its most wanted drug lord, and the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie, who remains missing; she is identified as the 84-year-old mother of co-host Savannah Guthrie.
Reactions and Public Criticism
The locker-room footage prompted sharp criticism from several quarters. Xochitl Hinojosa, a spokeswoman for former Attorney General Merrick Garland, criticized the timing of the celebration and referenced the Mar-a-Lago intruder, threats to Americans in Mexico from cartel activity, and the continued missing-person search for Nancy Guthrie. Former FBI Special Agent Michael Feinberg was also a prominent critic; he said the bureau trains at Quantico that agents are always representing the organization, and he expressed concern about the optics of the director's behavior.
Patel's Response and Work in Italy
Patel pushed back on critics, saying he loves America and was humbled when friends — the newly minted gold-medal winners on Team USA — invited him into the locker room to celebrate. The FBI directed additional comment to Patel's statement. He also said his trip to Italy was not limited to attending the Games: he traveled to meet Italian law enforcement counterparts and American agencies that were helping provide security at the event.
Security Roles, Protests and Ongoing Concerns
Patel posted pictures of his visit to the Milan Joint Operations Center, which he described as charged with protecting the security of American athletes and all those who traveled to Milan for the Winter Games. He also posted a photo of his meeting with the U. S. ambassador to Italy. Protests erupted in Italy after it emerged that ICE would play a role in security at the Games, as it has at other large international events.
Institutional Questions and Public Profile
Last year, a dozen current and former FBI and Justice Department Patel’s relaxed briefing schedule had raised concerns that he was not taking the job seriously enough. He has also drawn attention for regularly appearing with celebrities at professional sporting events around the country. The sequence of the Milan celebration, the domestic probes and public reaction has produced fresh scrutiny of the director’s public profile at a moment of overlapping security and investigative challenges.
Recent updates indicate public debate over the director's conduct remains active; details may evolve.
