Kash Patel Responds to Photos Partying With USA Hockey Team

FBI Director Kash Patel is unapologetic about celebrating Team USA’s historic Olympic victory and he’s not entertaining the outrage.

After photos surfaced of Patel in the locker room with the newly crowned gold medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team, some media outlets and political critics questioned the optics of the moment. Patel responded directly.

“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,” Patel wrote on X. “Greatest country on earth and greatest sport on earth.”

The celebration followed one of the most dramatic games in Olympic history. Team USA defeated rival Canada in sudden-death overtime, capturing the country’s first men’s Olympic hockey gold medal in 46 years.

The last time the United States stood atop the podium in men’s hockey was the legendary 1980 “Miracle on Ice” at Lake Placid, when a young American squad stunned the heavily favored Soviet Union.

This year’s overtime thriller instantly joined the short list of iconic American hockey moments. For fans, the locker-room jubilation was a natural extension of that triumph.

Patel shared additional photos and praised the team’s character.

“Unity, Sacrifice, Attitude. What it takes to be the best in the world,” he posted. “Now Team USA are gold medal champions, legends standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Patel’s trip to Italy coincided with the final weekend of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, where he also met with Italian officials. Critics suggested the trip was more about attending the Games than official business.

Others pointed to ongoing domestic issues including cartel violence in Mexico and other high-profile investigations as reasons the FBI director should have remained stateside.

Democratic strategist Xochitl Hinojosa mocked Patel’s appearance at the celebration, questioning his priorities.

But supporters argue the criticism is overblown. Senior officials frequently combine diplomatic engagements with attendance at major international events, particularly when American athletes are competing on the world stage.

The FBI employs more than 35,000 people and conducts investigations worldwide. Deputy directors and senior leadership routinely oversee operations when the director travels abroad.

For many Americans, Patel’s presence at the celebration symbolized national pride rather than distraction.

The 2026 Winter Games drew global viewership in the hundreds of millions, and the U.S.-Canada hockey final was among the most-watched events of the tournament. Olympic victories often become moments of rare national unity, transcending partisan divides.

Patel leaned into that sentiment.

“Greatest country on earth,” he wrote.

Whether critics view the locker-room moment as inappropriate or patriotic, one thing is clear: Team USA’s gold medal victory delivered a surge of American pride and Patel was more than happy to join the celebration.

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