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New Details Show Just How ‘Personal’ Kash Patel’s Trip To The Olympics Really Was
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FBI Director Kash Patel — an avid hockey fan who pounded a beer with the U.S. men’s team during an Olympic trip the bureau insisted was not “personal” — reportedly toiled through an itinerary that featured private meals, “personal time” and “cultural activities” on the back half of his four days in Italy. The New York Times has reported that Patel’s schedule on Saturday included a lone 20-minute briefing with the Olympic security team and a 30-minute tour of a joint security operations venue before he was to attend a “private lunch with an unspecified guest.” His schedule on Sunday tasked him with just two events: Team USA’s gold medal match against Canada and his flight back to the States. Patel arrived in Rome on Thursday evening before a dinner with the U.S. ambassador to Italy, billionaire Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta. By Friday, he had an hourlong meeting with the head of Italy’s domestic security and intelligence agency before a photo-op with Italian law enforcement, an “aperitivo” (a premeal drink/snack) at the Italian Ministry of the Interior and a number of other “ceremonial events,” per the Times. He then jetted off to Milan to watch the U.S. men’s team beat Slovakia to secure a spot in the gold medal final. Patel’s trip using the FBI’s Gulfstream jet was estimated to cost taxpayers as much as $75,000, per MS NOW. Patel has faced intense backlash in the States, with critics pointing to old comments where he knocked then-FBI Director Chris Wray for using a government-funded jet to “go on vacation.” Last year, Patel was under scrutiny for using a bureau jet to catch his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, perform at a wrestling event in Pennsylvania. He later defended the move, arguing that he wasn’t allowed to fly commercial. (Since 2011, the FBI director has been required to travel on government aircraft so they have access to secure communication.) He went to bat for his latest trip, as well. FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson, who said the Olympic trip was planned months beforehand to prep for the bureau’s security role at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, told the Times, “Director Patel had highly productive meetings in Italy focused on strengthening joint counterterrorism coordination, transnational crime enforcement, the extradition of high value targets and Olympic security planning with our closest allies.” He continued, “The leaking of his minute-by-minute schedule is a criminal act that jeopardizes security and will not be taken lightly.” The Times noted that the schedule “generally corresponds” to a broader outline of his affairs as provided to members of the media and included about six public and two classified meetings. It included when official meetings start and end, suggesting that the FBI director had long stretches of time to do as he pleased. Sources close to Patel told the Times that he embedded “some element of work” into much of his free time. On Monday, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe wasn’t having it, telling CNN that the trip was “completely inappropriate” considering the bureau’s role in potential military action against Iran and the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.