Trump Privately Criticises FBI Director Over Locker Room Celebration
President Donald Trump has privately rebuked FBI Director Kash Patel following a viral video that captured the bureau chief enthusiastically celebrating with the US men's hockey team at the Winter Olympics. The footage, first published by ProPublica, shows Patel, a known hockey enthusiast, drinking beer and pounding a table in a jubilant locker-room scene after Team USA secured its first Olympic gold medal in men's hockey since 1980, defeating Canada.
Behind-the-Scenes Displeasure and Travel Scrutiny
According to a report from NBC News, Trump conveyed his dissatisfaction to Patel in private, taking issue with both the optics of the celebration and the director's use of a government aircraft for the trip to Milan. The journey, which could cost taxpayers up to $75,000, has sparked public backlash, despite the FBI's insistence that it was not a personal trip. Trump, who abstains from alcohol, was particularly displeased with the beer-chugging imagery.
The FBI declined to comment on whether Trump expressed frustration directly to Patel. In response, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson highlighted the administration's broader public safety achievements, stating, 'Crime rates are dropping across the board. This is a direct result of the President's law and order agenda which is being successfully implemented by his law and order team, including FBI Director Kash Patel. The President has full confidence in his Administration.'
Patel's Defence and Ongoing Controversies
Patel has defended his presence in Italy, asserting that the trip was official and involved meetings with Italian law enforcement and US agencies overseeing security for the international event. On social media platform X, he wrote, '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.'
However, the video and photos from the celebration have ignited fury among many Americans, who question the FBI's characterization of the trip as business-related. The timing has also drawn scrutiny, as Patel was in Europe while an armed man breached the security perimeter of Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, though Trump was not present at the time.
Broader Scrutiny and Political Fallout
This incident adds to existing controversies surrounding Patel's use of FBI resources. Senator Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has requested an investigation by the Justice Department's inspector general into potential misuse or mismanagement of government assets by the director.
In a related development, the FBI recently terminated at least 10 employees connected to the 2022 search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, which uncovered classified documents and led to federal cases that were later dismissed. Patel has also disclosed that his cellphone records were obtained during investigations related to Trump, further intensifying the political tensions surrounding his role.
