Patel Under Fire Following Celebratory Video With Team USA (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
FBI Director Kash Patel is under increasing fire after a social media post over the weekend appeared to contradict the agency’s previous denial of a press article about his trip to Milan for the Winter Olympics.
According to an NBC News story last Thursday, Patel intended to go to Milan to see the U.S. vs. Canada gold medal hockey game. The FBI responded quickly to the report. Ben Williamson, a spokesperson for the agency, took to X to dispute what he described as a “false” theory that Patel’s trip would be funded by taxpayers. He insisted that NBC News rectify its coverage.
At the time, everyone assumed the problem had finally resolved. This changed on Sunday. After the United States men’s hockey team won big, Patel posted photographs and videos from inside their dressing room, reigniting the debate. One clip, in particular, spread swiftly. In the video, Patel is drinking a beer, laughing, and partying with coworkers amidst the post-game frenzy.
On X, Patel shared photos of himself with the ecstatic athletes, saying, “Thank you for representing the greatest country on earth, in the greatest game ever created.”
The post quickly went viral online, with critics asking how Patel, who had earlier questioned the notion of his voyage, had become so close to the team. For many spectators, the question was not only whether he attended the game, but also whether the agency had misled them in its prior statement.
Catherine Rampell, The Bulwark’s economic editor, remarked on Bluesky. “It’s pretty amazing that before Kash posted a picture from the locker room, the FBI communications person called my @ms.now colleague @kendilanian-nbc.bsky.social a liar and demanded a correction,” she said on Instagram.
Zak Williams, a political strategist, was more candid. He said on Bluesky, “They just don’t care and lie to everyone’s face.”
Others focused on Patel’s joy with the team and their look. “Look at this loser glomming onto their victory like he had anything to do with it,” tweeted Krystal Ball, co-host of “Breaking Points,” in an attack on the director of X. Your taxes are paying for this deplorable performance, and this man is the real-life embodiment of mediocrity.
There were also questions about public funding. “You can only imagine the reaction from the GOP and Fox if this were an FBI director under Obama or Biden,” Zeteo News founder Mehdi Hasan wrote on X. Why is he at that place? At the cost of taxpayers.
Mark Zaid, a national security attorney, also provided insight on the show. He wrote, “So embarrassing,” on X. “Back in my college fraternity days, this kind of behavior was a lot of fun (or maybe if you were on the winning Olympic team).” I have overcome it and am now pursuing a job.
ProPublica journalist William Turton fueled the online outrage by tweeting, “A source sent me this video of FBI Director Kash Patel partying with the US Men’s Olympic Hockey Team.” The FBI has not made public the circumstances of Patel’s travel, including how it was paid for and if it was necessary for official business.
Despite the agency’s earlier statement denying that the trip was funded by taxpayers, Patel’s own posts confirmed that he attended the event and was in the team’s locker room after their triumph. The circumstances have sparked a larger debate about public accountability and transparency for senior government officials.
Critics argue that the optics of the celebration, as well as the agency’s initial rejection of major portions of the report, have created unnecessary uncertainty. On the other hand, fans have portrayed the trip as a patriotic show of support for American athletes worldwide.
What began as a normal update on travel intentions has now become a source of conflict over public perception and reliability, demonstrating how rapidly official communications can backfire in the social media age.
Kash Patel’s net worth 2025
Patel was born in 1980 to Indian immigrants. He graduated from Richmond University in 2002. He was born and raised in Garden City, Massachusetts. Patel finally graduated from the University College London Faculty of Laws with a diploma in international law. 2005 was the year he graduated from Pace University with a law degree.
According to financial disclosures filed in early 2025, Kash Patel’s net worth is projected to exceed $5.9 million. His portfolio includes an interest in a Cayman Islands-based fashion management firm worth $1 million to $5 million, as well as cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin ETFs, and equities in companies such as Nvidia and Rumble.
