FBI Director Kash Patel used a government plane to fly to Italy and planned to watch the Winter Olympics, according to a report.
According to CBS News, "Public flight data reviewed by CBS News showed the FBI director took off on a government plane Thursday morning for an Air Force base in Italy, after a brief flight from Manassas, Virginia, to Joint Base Andrews, in Maryland Wednesday. Sources also confirmed to CBS News that Patel was en route to Milan, where he is planning to watch the Men's USA Olympic hockey team compete in the medal rounds."
The FBI denied that the trip was illegitimate because Patel also plans to meet with foreign law enforcement officials.
"[I]t'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," FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson stated on X, after ignoring requests for direct comment to CBS.
However, this reporting comes after other allegations that Patel has used FBI aircraft for personal business, including to fly to a concert by his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins.
It also comes as Patel, who was previously an intelligence staffer for House Republicans before entering President Donald Trump's inner circle and ultimately being named FBI director, faces ongoing bipartisan criticism for allegedly obfuscating details about the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case files to Congress.