U.S. President Donald Trump is not pleased with FBI Director Kash Patel’s locker-room celebration at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
For the unversed, a viral video shows Kash Patel celebrating with the U.S. men’s hockey team after its win against Canada, earning the country its first gold since 1980.
In the video, Patel can be seen chugging beer, jumping around, banging on the table, and cheering loudly in excitement.
However, a person familiar with the matter told NBC News in a February 28 report that Trump does not seem to approve of Patel’s behaviour. The source also claimed that the President objects to his use of government aircraft for a trip to Milan.
NBC News: Donald Trump was disappointed in FBI Director Kash Patel’s behavior at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and conveyed his displeasure in a conversation with him. pic.twitter.com/JFha5sEkgV
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 27, 2026
Outrage has grown over Patel’s use of the FBI jet, with Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois writing to the Government Accountability Office on Tuesday to criticise the impact of Patel’s past air travel on high-profile investigations, and asked the Justice Department’s inspector general to “investigate Director Patel’s misuse or mismanagement of government resources.”
”Unfortunately, as a credible source described to my staff, the tone was set early during Director Patel’s tenure when he said in a meeting with the field offices last year, ‘If you have golf, hockey, fishing, or hunting and beautiful sights, you’re going to see a lot of me,'” he wrote.
As has been reported, the Director’s frequent misuse of the FBI’s Gulfstream jets for personal travel has “even frustrated White House and DOJ senior staff,” Durbin wrote to the GAO.
The outrage deepened, given that Patel had previously criticised former FBI Director Christopher Wray for using government aircraft. ”Chris Wray doesn’t need a government-funded G-5 jet to go to vacation. Maybe we ground that plane — $15,000 every time it takes off,” Patel in a 2024 episode of Glenn Beck’s podcast.
Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin and California Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove voiced similar sentiments in a letter to the FBI Director in December 2025, stating, “Mr. Patel, these planes are not yours. They are the property of the U.S. Government and are paid for by the American people.”
The 46-year-old also faced backlash over his locker-room celebration with the U.S. hockey team. “Will you refund the taxpayers for your luxury trip?” one social media user wrote.
Official FBI business? pic.twitter.com/dqAZrQ7jHa
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) February 23, 2026
Another expressed similar sentiments, commenting, “How much did your little trip cost the American taxpayer?”
”You can party with hockey players all you want when you’re no longer the Director of the FBI. Just do your job while you have it,” another user stated.
A fourth user said, “You have to admit, it’s a bad look while you’re there on “official business” and not attending the Olympics as your spokesperson said yesterday.”
Responding to the criticism, Kash Patel took to his X handle on February 23, 2026, 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.”
