Kash Patel has landed himself in yet another controversy, and this time, it seems worse than before.
The FBI director, who has a more celebrity bad-boy image, has landed in fresh controversy after secret government emails revealed he took part in a “VIP snorkeling excursion” at the USS Arizona Memorial during an official trip to Hawaii in August 2025.
According to Radar Online, Patel snorkeled while returning from official visits to Australia and New Zealand. The snorkeling trip was coordinated by military officials and allegedly took place at Pearl Harbor’s USS Arizona Memorial.
It is a site where more than 900 sailors and Marines remain entombed following the Japanese attack on Dec. 7, 1941.
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Government emails obtained by AP News allegedly confirm that the FBI chief joined the restricted snorkeling session.
This has sparked backlash as Patel has been known for using government resources for personal use. The FBI’s public news release highlighted his Honolulu field office tour. But it omitted the two-day Hawaii return stopover and the snorkeling trip.
Additionally, public swimming and snorkeling are typically prohibited around the memorial area. Access is only given to authorized personnel, such as Navy divers conducting research or maintenance and National Park Service scientists.
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Meanwhile, the FBI has still not clarified why Patel returned to Hawaii after his official engagements or provided any further details regarding the excursion.
A Navy spokesperson, Capt. Jodie Cornell, confirmed to AP that the outing did take place. However, the Navy has not yet determined who initiated the excursion.
Cornell also stated that participants were instructed “not to touch/come into contact with” the submerged battleship. They were also briefed on “the historic significance of the memorial as the final resting place/tomb for hundreds of service members.”
Marine veteran Hack Albertson, who participates in authorized dives to inspect the wreckage, criticized the trip. He said:
“It’s like having a bachelor party at a church. It’s hallowed ground. It needs to be treated with the solemnity it deserves.”
Reportedly, previous FBI directors had visited Pearl Harbor on official business, but no one dating back to at least 1993 had gone snorkeling at the memorial site.
A former government diver told AP News:
“The diver said it was unusual for a director or anyone not connected to the memorial to be granted such access because the swims come with physical risks and present security, safety, and logistical challenges.”
Stacey Young, founder of Justice Connection, also weighed in on the controversy. Young said:
“It fits a pattern of director Patel getting tangled up in unseemly distractions — this time at a site commemorating the second-deadliest attack in US history — instead of staying laser-focused on keeping Americans safe.”
The Hawaii trip is the latest addition to the list of controversies surrounding Patel and travel using government resources. He previously faced scrutiny over his use of FBI aircraft and overseas travel. Critics claimed he blurs the line between official business and leisure.
