FBI Director Kash Patel found himself at the center of a social media debate Sunday after celebrating with the U.S. Men’s Hockey team in their locker room following a gold medal victory over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
Videos circulating online show Patel, 45, drinking beer and cheering with the players after their 3-2 overtime win – the team’s first gold medal in 46 years. The scenes prompted criticism from some, including Xochitl Hinojosa, spokesperson for former Attorney General Merrick Garland, who questioned the appropriateness of the FBI director’s celebratory behavior given ongoing national security concerns.
Patel responded to the criticism on his X account, writing, “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- Greatest country on earth and greatest sport on earth.” He followed up with an earlier post praising the team’s “Unity, Sacrifice, Attitude” and calling them “legends.”
The celebration occurred as the FBI was investigating an incident in Florida where an armed man drove into Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort. Patel had posted earlier Sunday, around the time the hockey game went into overtime, stating the FBI was “dedicating all necessary resources in the investigation” of the Florida incident.
During the gold medal game, Team USA player Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal in sudden death overtime. One player sustained an injury during the game, suffering a knocked-out tooth, according to reports.
President Trump reportedly congratulated the team by phone following their victory and has invited them to attend the State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 24, in Washington, D.C.
