Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics - Ice Hockey - Men's Play-offs Semifinals - United States vs Slovakia - Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, Milan, Italy - February 20, 2026. FBI Director Kash Patel watches the match REUTERS/Mike Segar
(Milan, Italy) – FBI Director Kash Patel is responding to criticism after appearing in a Team USA locker room celebration following a major victory.
Images circulating online show Patel celebrating alongside U.S. athletes while holding an American flag. The appearance quickly drew scrutiny from some media commentators and critics who questioned whether the nation’s top federal law enforcement official should be present in a postgame locker room setting.
Patel addressed the backlash directly, defending his presence.
“For the very concerned media — yes, I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment,” Patel said.
