United States FBI Director Kash Patel attended the 2026 Winter Olympics, and some people are wondering why he was there after a video of him celebrating with Team USA’s men’s hockey team went viral. Critics accused Patel of using taxpayer dollars to fund his trip to Milan, Italy, and his visit came shortly after JD Vance and Usha Vance‘s appearance at the Games.
Here’s what we know about Patel’s Milano Cortina Olympics appearance.
How Long Was Kash Patel at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Patel wasn’t at the Olympics for long. His visit appeared to be brief, as he was spotted watching the men’s gold medal match on February 22. Later that evening, a video of him chugging a beer and partying with the hockey team in their locker room went viral on social media.
According to CBS News, Patel flew via government jet from Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., to a U.S. Air Force base in Italy on February 19. The FBI, however, denied that this was a personal trip and insisted that Patel’s visit was planned months in advance.
This article is designed to mislead – CBS is just looking at public flight tracking, guessing, and then filling space with old info and quotes from Democrats.
No, it’s not a personal trip. Director Patel is on a trip that was planned months ago. It includes: partner meetings… https://t.co/hgsF4IHvYp
— Ben Williamson (@_WilliamsonBen) February 19, 2026
FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson called out CBS for its report about Patel’s flight in a tweet, which read, “No, it’s not a personal trip. Director Patel is on a trip that was planned months ago. It includes: partner meetings with Italian law enforcement and security officials (they invited the Director last July), meeting with Ambassador Fertitta (as a follow-up to our law enforcement roundtable he hosted in January), meetings with Legat staff, and more.”
Williamson added that the FBI “also has a major role in Olympic security – as we do with the World Cup, F1, and more – so we have a U.S. consulate briefing on Olympic security and current FBI posture, as well as thanking FBI personnel on the ground.”
Why Was Kash Patel at the 2026 Olympics?
Apparently, Patel was there to watch the men’s hockey final between Team USA and Team Canada. Patel was photographed in the stands at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, wearing a white USA jersey to cheer on the team.
“Unity, Sacrifice, Attitude – what it takes to be the best in the world,” Patel tweeted later that day about the American men’s Olympic hockey team. “These men live and breathe it. Now Team USA are gold medal champions, legends standing on the shoulders of giants. Thank you for representing the greatest country on earth, in the greatest game ever created. congrats boys.”
In a separate tweet that evening, Patel wrote to the “very concerned media” about his locker room appearance with the men’s team, adding, “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.”
