FBI Director Kash Patel and Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche hold a press conference to discuss Tren de Aragua developments at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 1, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
FBI Director Kash Patel responded defensively to criticism from MS NOW's Hayes Brown regarding his expensive leisure activities, partly funded by taxpayers.
In his op-ed, Brown highlightedPatel's extensive personal time during official travel and cited an internal schedule from his Italy trip obtained by The New York Times. The document revealed long periods for "personal time" and "cultural activities."
The article includes an editorialized image of Patel, 46, surrounded by an expensive BMW, a golf bag, snorkeling gear, an FBI jet, and a jet ski.
Patel reacted angrily on X, suggesting his jet ski is gold-plated and cursing at the publication: "Your job is to lie. Mine is to protect the American people, and business is good!"
Brown cautioned, Patel's lavish lifestyle could make him a target for frustrated Republicans seeking easier alternatives to criticizing Trump directly.
“He runs the risk of becoming a lightning rod, drawing down the wrath of every frustrated Republican who knows it’s much easier to savage the people around Trump than aiming at the president himself,” Brown wrote.
Patel has also faced scrutiny for allegedly using FBI jets to attend his girlfriend's music performances in Nashville, for his behavior in the 2026 Winter Olympics and for snorkeling at the Pearl Harbor Memorial in Hawaii.
Watch the video below.