One day before the U.S. defeated Canada in the men’s hockey gold-medal game, an FBI spokesman ripped a reporter who questioned whether FBI Director Kash Patel’s trip to Italy was based around attending the Olympics.
“Your rag outlet wrote that he went to hang out at the Olympics on the taxpayer dime – even when provided information that your theory was false,” assistant director for public affairs at the FBI Ben Williamson wrote in response to a post from MS Now reporter Ken Dilanian asking whether Patel would be at the hockey game. “When you’re ready to correct that let me know. Won’t hold my breath.”
Following the 2-1 gold-medal victory on Sunday, Patel was filmed boisterously celebrating in the locker room with the men’s team and drinking beer.
MS Now reported Feb. 19 that in addition to “several” official government events—such as a meeting with an ambassador and briefings on Olympics security—Patel was traveling to Italy to attend various Olympic events, including the gold-medal game. The report said flights like this typically cost U.S. taxpayers at least $5,000 per hour, and that Patel’s trip to Milan “is likely to cost as much as $75,000.”
The game took place the same day as a number of high-profile incidents. In Mexico, drug lord “El Mencho” was killed during a raid by the Mexican military that resulted in cartel violence in the streets—the U.S. government warned American citizens in certain areas of the country to shelter in place. Also on Sunday, a 21-year-old man wielding a shotgun and carrying a fuel can was shot and killed by the Secret Service after making his way onto the property at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
At 10:40 am, close to the end of the game—which Patel watched from a box at the Milano Santagiulia Arena—the FBI director posted on social media that “the FBI is dedicating all necessary resources in the investigation of this morning’s incident at President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago.”
The above post was made from his official government account. Later Sunday evening, on his personal account, Patel defended his locker room celebration, writing: “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 is well-known as a big hockey fan who still plays in a men’s league. In December 2024, he said he would not give up playing if confirmed as FBI director.
Patel has previously been criticized for using the FBI’s private jet to attend events, including UFC fights. Before he took over as FBI director, Patel was critical of his predecessor, Christopher Wray, over use of the FBI’s private jet.
During the locker room celebration, Trump spoke to the players over the phone, congratulating them on their victory and inviting the team to the State of the Union address he’ll give Tuesday night. Trump—who used the victory as an opportunity to post multiple memes related to the U.S. beating Canada, including one where artificial intelligence was used to impose him playing and scoring a goal for Team USA—said he would “send a military plane” if the team needed, and that he’d host them at the White House the next day.
“We’ll just have some fun,” Trump said. “I must tell you, we’re gonna have to bring the women’s team, you know that.” He added that he would “probably be impeached” if he didn’t invite the women’s team, which beat Canada 2-1 Feb. 19 in a dramatic overtime victory to capture the gold.
“I got it, boss, I got it,” Patel said when Trump referenced sending a military plane to bring the team to Washington, D.C. “I’m fuckin on it.”
TSN analyst Darren Dreger posted Monday that there is “some uncertainty around when Team USA players will rejoin their NHL clubs” after the president invited them to the White House. As one example, he noted the Toronto Maple Leafs—whose Auston Matthews just won the gold—play in Tampa Bay on Wednesday. “A challenge for all NHL clubs with US players.”
Representatives for Team USA and Patel did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A representative for the White House referred Front Office Sports to the FBI. The FBI referred FOS to the post Patel made that is referenced earlier in this story.
