President Donald Trump privately told FBI Director Kash Patel that he was displeased with his locker room behavior during a recent trip to the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, according to NBC News.
Patel went viral after celebrating with the U.S. men’s hockey team following its gold medal win over Canada – the first U.S. gold in the event since 1980. Video first published by ProPublica showed Patel chugging a beer, banging on a table, and shouting in celebration.
“Trump — who does not drink — told Patel he was unhappy not only with that scene, but also with Patel’s use of government aircraft for the trip to Milan, Italy," a source familiar with the matter told NBC News. Trump expressed his displeasure in a conversation with Patel, the report said.
The FBI declined to comment on whether Trump had expressed frustration with Patel. Instead, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson pointed to crime rates “dropping across the board,” and added that “the President has full confidence in his Administration.”
Patel has defended his trip since the video went viral, saying he traveled to Italy on official business to meet with Italian law enforcement and U.S. security agencies supporting the games. The FBI director said he was “extremely humbled” to celebrate with Team USA in a post on X.
Still, the trip continues to draw scrutiny – and not just from Trump. The watchdog group Democracy Defenders Fund filed a Freedom of Information Act request on Friday seeking records related to Patel’s meetings and use of government resources during the trip, NBC News reported.