'Amazing': Analysts awestruck as Kash Patel undercuts FBI on his Olympics travel

FBI Director Kash Patel found himself in hot water on Sunday after he made a post on social media that undercut a claim his agency made about his travel to the Olympic Games in Milan.

Last Thursday, NBC News reported that Patel planned to travel to Milan to watch the US men's hockey team play in the gold medal game against Canada. Ben Williamson, a spokesperson for Patel's agency, said on X that NBC News' report included a "false" theory that Patel was traveling to the game on the taxpayers' dime and demanded that the outlet correct the story.

That explanation seemed plausible until Sunday, when Patel posted pictures and video of himself in the locker room with the hockey team after they won the game. A video of Patel chugging beer with the team was also posted on Sunday night.

"Thank you for representing the greatest country on earth, in the greatest game ever created," Patel wrote on X.

Patel's post left analysts awestruck. They shared their reactions on social media.

"Pretty amazing that comms person at FBI called my @ms.now colleague @kendilanian-nbc.bsky.social a liar and demand a correction only for Kash to post a photo from the locker room," Catherine Rampell, economic editor at The Bulwark, posted on Bluesky.

"They just don't care and lie to everyone's face," political consultant Zak Williams posted on Bluesky.

"Look at this loser glomming onto their victory like he had anything to do with it," Krystall Ball, co-host of "Breaking Points," posted on X. "This man is the living embodiment of mediocrity and your tax dollars are paying for this humiliating display."

"You can only imagine the reaction from the GOP and Fox if this was a FBI director under Obama or Biden," Mehdi Hasan, founder of Zeteo News, posted on X. "What is he doing there? At taxpayer expense??"

"So embarrassing," national security lawyer Mark Zaid posted on X. "This type of conduct was tons of fun back in my college fraternity days (or maybe if part of the actual winning Olympic team). I grew out of it to become a professional."

"A source sent me this video of FBI Director Kash Patel partying with the US Men's Olympic Hockey team," ProPublica reporter William Turton posted on X.