Kash Patel Olympics Controversy: FBI Director Caught Partying in Team USA Hockey Locker Room After Gold Medal Win
FBI Director Kash Patel is at the center of a firestorm after videos went viral showing him drinking beer, singing a Toby Keith song, and celebrating in the Team USA men's hockey locker room following the United States' historic gold medal victory over Canada at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
What Happened: Kash Patel in the Olympic Locker Room
Patel joined the rowdy celebrations following the historic 2-1 victory over Canada at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. It was the first time in 46 years — since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" — that the men's team has taken home gold.
At one point, the FBI director drinks a beer and bangs on a table, before forward Matthew Tkachuk drapes his gold medal around Patel and the group loudly sings "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" by the late Toby Keith.
Patel also facilitated a phone call from President Trump with the team, during which Trump praised American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and invited the squad to Tuesday's State of the Union address in Washington.
How Kash Patel Got to Italy — and Why It's Controversial
FBI Director Kash Patel, whose use of a government jet has frequently come under scrutiny, flew on a Justice Department plane Thursday to Italy with plans to attend the Olympic hockey medal rounds, according to public data and sources familiar with the matter.
FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson confirmed the trip but argued it was not "personal" in nature, claiming it was planned months in advance, and Patel was there to meet with Italian officials for meetings and briefings related to government duties — and that the FBI plays a "major role" in security for the Games as well as the World Cup this summer.
Kash Patel's Defense: "I Was Invited"
Patel pushed back hard on his critics on X:
"For the very concerned media — yes, I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys — Greatest country on earth and greatest sport on earth," Patel wrote.
He also noted that "nearly 100 US Government personnel have been surged to support the Olympics since the start of 2026 — with lessons we'll take into the FIFA World Cup later this summer."
The Backlash: Democrats, Former FBI Agents Speak Out
Critics lit up social media and Congress with sharp rebukes.
| Who | What They Said |
|---|---|
| Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) | Called it "grift & corruption" and "taxpayer dollars funding the FBI Director's Italian vacation" |
| Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) | Referenced the Epstein files: "This is what the FBI director is doing right now" |
| Former FBI Special Agent Michael Feinberg | Said agents are taught at Quantico "there is never a moment in which you are not representing the Bureau" |
Eight former FBI and Justice Department officials sent a news outlet a copy of the video, which they said was "drawing outrage as it rocketed around FBI and DOJ circles."
Why the Timing Made It Worse
While Patel was celebrating in Milan, the U.S. Secret Service shot and killed an armed man who had driven into Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's resort in Florida. Hours later, around the time the game against Canada was headed into overtime, Patel posted on X that the FBI was "dedicating all necessary resources in the investigation." Critics noted the FBI director was simultaneously posting about a threat to the president's home while drinking beer in an Italian locker room.
A Pattern of Government Jet Controversies
A few years ago, Patel publicly derided then-FBI Director Christopher Wray for allegedly using an FBI jet for personal reasons — but now faces the same criticism himself. Patel had previously used the FBI plane to attend a charity hockey event in New York and to watch Alex Ovechkin break the NHL scoring record.
Despite the controversy, Patel's supporters on the right praised him as a patriot celebrating a once-in-a-generation American sports achievement — and the debate over where the line is between official duty and personal celebration is far from settled.
