As top officials at the FBI headquarters were tracking the violence that broke out in Mexico on Sunday, following the military operation that successfully killed a drug cartel boss, FBI Director Kash Patel went viral on social media chugging a beer in a locker room, celebrating the Olympic gold medal-winning US men’s hockey team.

Personal Use of Government Plane

The FBI has been fighting off the criticism from fellow politicians and the public for Patel’s use of a government agency plane to Italy for a supposed long-planned official business that happened to coincide with the medal round of play for Team USA.

However, this is not the first time Patel has been seen using the FBI Gulfstream jet for personal travel, and has faced much criticism for it since taking office. It is a long-standing issue raised that previous FBI directors and attorneys general waste taxpayer money by using the agency plane for personal use. Patel was among those who criticized before becoming FBI director, suggesting that the use of the FBI plane by his predecessor, Christopher Wray, be grounded.

“Chris Wray doesn’t need a government-funded G-5 jet to go to vacation,” Patel said on Glenn Beck’s podcast in 2024. “Maybe we ground that plane — $15,000 every time it takes off.” But it is not up to the individual official how they travel.

Taxpayer Funded Trips

After 9/11, the government updated regulations to require the attorney general, and as of 2011, the FBI director, to use a government aircraft for all travel, even personal. According to the Justice Department, the policy was created in case a national security or other emergency were to arise, and the president and other top officials could have access to secure communications with the FBI director and attorney general.

Since Patel became FBI director a year ago, he has taken many trips to Nashville, visited his girlfriend, gone golfing with friends, and attended hockey games. In each of these instances, Democrats have expressed criticism and demanded that the FBI provide information about the use of resources. 

Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin and California Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove wrote in a letter to Patel in December 2025 to dispute his constant personal use of a government plane. “Mr. Patel, these planes are not yours. They are the property of the U.S. Government and are paid for by the American people,’ they wrote.

Patel and the FBI have defended the use of the plane, saying it complies with federal law, and he reimburses the government for the cost of a commercial airline ticket for any personal travel. It was noted that the cost of operating the FBI plane is far more than the price of a commercial ticket, exceeding it by tens of thousands of dollars.

CBS News reported on Patel’s recent visit to Italy for the Olympics to cheer on the men’s hockey team, which was disputed by the FBI, citing that he had numerous meetings to attend on behalf of his government position. The visit included law enforcement meetings and official agreement signings that had been planned even before the US hockey team went to the final round.

Visit to Italy for The Olympics

So, Patel’s preplanned visit to Italy and his appearance at the men’s hockey final were a coincidence, but unsurprising to many, as he is a known hockey buff who played for years. Internal opinions on Patel’s actions, caught on video in the locker room following the US men’s team’s victory, have divided the agency. 

Some appreciate Patel’s embrace of bro culture, but others find it embarrassing to see their official leader chugging beer and cursing on video while the agency is dealing with an outbreak of violence in Mexico caused by a US-aided military operation. 

AI-generated videos have already made their way to YouTube of Patel’s trip to the Olympics, unsurprisingly. One shows the FBI director dancing and spraying champagne around the locker room, but in reality, he was chugging beer and chanting after the game. 

Proposing Alternative Means

Last year, the FBI proposed obtaining a new long-distance aircraft. The FBI required an “ultra-long-range business jet to enable rapid, global transport of Department of Justice personnel in support of counterterrorism efforts, high-risk operations, and other sensitive missions,” according to the proposal. 

After criticism surfaced over the use of the aircraft, the Justice Department withdrew its request almost a month after it was issued.