FBI Director Kash Patel’s celebration with Team USA’s hockey champions after winning the men’s gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Sunday is not sitting well with some in the news media.
Carol Leonnig, a reporter for MSNOW, shared video sent to her of Patel chugging beer and singing along with the victors, saying: “Multiple sources have sent me and @KDilanianMSNOW this video *appearing to show* @FBIDirectorKash Patel guzzling from a beer and partying in locker room w US men’s hockey team. His office insisted this was strictly a business trip. We at @MSNOWNews will share what we learn.”
Leonnig is now facing the wrath of top figures online.
Steven Cheung, the White House director of communications, replied: “Carol, you’re either mentally deficient or a liar. This ‘exclusive’ video your ‘sources’ sent you is actually from a publicly available Instagram story.
“Second, Kash was also in Italy meeting with regional partners and security teams. Third, don’t be mad because America won.”
Carol, you’re either mentally deficient or a liar. This “exclusive” video your “sources” sent you is actually from a publicly available Instagram story.
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) February 23, 2026
Second, Kash was also in Italy meeting with regional partners and security teams.
Third, don’t be mad because America won. https://t.co/9kNFnBdnxQ
Omg calm down he celebrated an incredible accomplishment with American heroes https://t.co/xRTFDYzzLE
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) February 23, 2026
🤣 Something tells me Karen from MSNOW didn’t think through how her video of Kash Patel with the US Men’s Hockey Team was going to make him look this cool and relatable. The emotions felt by normal Team USA fans are going to be a healthy mix of big smiles and raging jealousy. https://t.co/pnCyJ5pGjb
— Lee Zeldin (@LeeMZeldin) February 23, 2026
We have learned, Carol, that you and your colleagues are all total and complete pussies. https://t.co/ZF8s6VCywq
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 23, 2026
Democrats attacking Kash Patel for having a beer and celebrating in the locker room with the gold medal winning US hockey team — after they invited him in and he called the freaking president to congratulate them — are demonstrating why no normal men vote for them.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 23, 2026
Other leftists were critical of Patel, with the New York Times reporting: “The F.B.I. director, Kash Patel, criticized for blurring the lines between personal recreation and professional responsibility, spent Sunday celebrating the American hockey team’s Olympic victory in Milan as the bureau grappled with multiple, fast-developing crises at home.”
Occupy Democrats said on Facebook: “FBI Party Director Kash Patel just got busted on camera goofing off with Olympic athletes after telling the media he went to Italy for ‘meetings!’ … Nothing wrong with celebrating Team USA’s gold medal, BUT NOT ON OUR DIME. Like and share if you have had enough of this sh*t.”
Patel appeared unbothered by any criticism, with numerous comments and photos, as well as reposts from the White House celebrating what makes America great.
He wrote: “Unity, Sacrifice, Attitude- what it takes to be the best in the world. 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.”
Unity, Sacrifice, Attitude- what it takes to be the best in the world. 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.… pic.twitter.com/hBG987pxM2
— Kash Patel (@Kash_Patel) February 22, 2026
— Kash Patel (@Kash_Patel) February 23, 2026
On Saturday, before the gold-medal hockey game with Canada, Patel posted: “Great visit with the Milan Joint Operations Center, a 24/7 interagency operation with international partners to support the Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games. The JOC is focused on protecting the US athletes, 250,000 US citizens who traveled to Milan for the games, as well as the private sector companies we share information with every day.
“Nearly 100 US Government personnel have been surged to support the Olympics since the start of 2026 – with lessons we’ll take into the FIFA World Cup later this summer.”
Great visit with the Milan Joint Operations Center, a 24/7 interagency operation with international partners to support the Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games. The JOC is focused on protecting the US athletes, 250,000 US citizens who traveled to Milan for the games, as well as… pic.twitter.com/RKUuq28NGk
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) February 21, 2026
🚨 BREAKING: The men’s US hockey team has ACCEPTED President Trump’s invitation to come to his State of the Union address tomorrow, per Speaker Johnson
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 23, 2026
The team was ECSTATIC to get the invite from Trump by phone: “The boys are going to the State of the Union!”
“I’ll send a… pic.twitter.com/0B3MaebY9L
Proud to be an American. 🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/t6LzvTPNU5
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 22, 2026
https://t.co/kOiCXdVMao pic.twitter.com/ZIiychKPoo
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 22, 2026
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‘Tonight was for the country’: U.S. defeats Canada for Olympic hockey gold
