CNN anchor Jake Tapper was shocked Monday by FBI Director Kash Patel's partying in the locker room with the gold medal-winning U.S. men's hockey team at the OlympicsCNN anchor Jake Tapper was shocked Monday by FBI Director Kash Patel's partying in the locker room with the gold medal-winning U.S. men's hockey team at the Olympics

Jake Tapper in disbelief at 'beer-soaked' Kash Patel's defense of Olympics trip

2026/02/24 07:03
2 min read

CNN anchor Jake Tapper was shocked Monday by FBI Director Kash Patel's partying in the locker room with the gold medal-winning U.S. men's hockey team at the Olympics in Italy.

Tapper questioned what Patel was doing there — and exactly who was footing the bill. The move comes amid multiple high profile federal investigations.

"The FBI director's enthusiastic, beer-soaked celebration with Team USA at the Olympics in Milan. Does this count as official government business? And are you and I paying for it?" Tapper asked.

Tapper described how this wasn't the first time Patel has come under fire for using his taxpayer-funded jet for personal travel, including jet-setting with his girlfriend and country singer Alexis Wilkins.

"Believe it or not, that's your FBI director, Kash Patel, celebrating with the U.S. men's hockey team after their overtime win against Canada to win the gold medal. It was an incredible win that all Americans can celebrate," Tapper said.

He also pointed out how the FBI had sharp words for a reporter just before Patel was caught in the video partying, which Patel later defended, saying the trip was planned months ago for him to meet with Italian law enforcement officials and the American ambassador to Italy.

"Now, why exactly the FBI director who you might think would be busy with all sorts of things, why he's in the locker room in Italy, seemingly pounding beers along with the team well, you can be forgiven if you're asking that question, especially after FBI spokesman Ben Williamson was lashing out at a reporter from a different network on Twitter the day before the game for asking whether Patel was going to attend the match," Tapper said. "The FBI spokesman writing, quote, 'your rag outlet wrote that he went to hang out at the Olympics on the taxpayer dime, even when provided information that your theory was false,' unquote. Now the FBI is denying this was a personal trip for Patel."

Market Opportunity
Union Logo
Union Price(U)
$0.000793
$0.000793$0.000793
-0.37%
USD
Union (U) Live Price Chart
Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact service@support.mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.