FBI chief under fire after wild Olympic locker room party in Italy
FBI Director Kash Patel is facing criticism after appearing in videos from Team USA’s locker room celebration at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
Clips shared on X and Reddit show Patel wearing a Team USA shirt while joining players as they sang, held drinks and sprayed beverages following their overtime victory over Canada. In one widely circulated moment, a player places a gold medal around his neck.
The reaction online was swift. Some critics questioned whether the country’s top federal law enforcement official should be participating in a postgame celebration while other national security matters were unfolding.
One user wrote on X: “There was a threat at the president’s residence … and our FBI Director thinks he’s a frat bro?!” The post referred to separate security concerns reported at the time.
Read also: England World Cup chaos as US town threatens to pull plug on key clash
Questions over optics and travel
Beyond the tone of the celebration, several social media users raised questions about the purpose and cost of Patel’s trip to Italy. Posts speculated about whether taxpayer funded resources were used for the visit.
Supporters responded that senior FBI officials are required to use secure government aircraft for official international travel.
According to Reuters, Patel’s trip had been scheduled in advance and included official engagements. Reuters reported that Patel discovered his own phone records had been subpoenaed during a prior investigation, prompting internal fallout at the bureau.
CNN details internal FBI shakeup
Separate from the Olympic controversy, CNN reported that Patel ordered the removal of at least 10 FBI employees connected to the investigation into President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents at Mar a Lago. CNN, citing people briefed on the matter, said the action was part of a broader internal review of the earlier probe.
Read also: Ronaldo stuns Spain with bold Almería ownership move
The investigation, later overseen by Special Counsel Jack Smith, resulted in criminal charges against Trump and two associates. After Trump’s reelection, Smith dropped both cases, citing longstanding Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president, according to CNN.
CNN also reported that Patel initiated the review after learning that the FBI had subpoenaed his communications records and those of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles during the 2022 to 2023 investigation.
In a statement quoted by CNN, Patel said: “It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records – along with those of now White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles – using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight.”
Reuters was first to report that Patel had learned his records were obtained. A spokesperson for Jack Smith declined to comment, CNN reported.
Read also: Norwegian minnows stun Inter in Champions League earthquake
The FBI Agents Association criticized the dismissals. In a statement cited by CNN, the group said: “The FBIAA condemns today’s unlawful termination of FBI Special Agents, which—like other firings by Director Patel—violates the due process rights of those who risk their lives to protect our country,” adding that the moves “ultimately put the nation at greater risk.”
Celebration draws political spotlight
While Patel has not publicly addressed the locker room videos in detail, the images from Milan have intensified scrutiny at a moment when the bureau is already undergoing internal changes.
According to CNN and Reuters, the overlap between a high profile Olympic appearance and significant personnel decisions inside the FBI has fueled debate in Washington about leadership, optics and accountability.
Sources: CNN
Read also: Laporta accuses Real Madrid of decades long referee influence in explosive book claim
Read also: Neymar’s last shot? Brazil star plots dramatic 2026 World Cup finale as Ancelotti era begins
