MILAN, Italy — In a surprise visit that blended national pride with official duties, FBI Director Kash Patel made an appearance in the locker room of the victorious Team USA Men's Hockey squad moments after they clinched the gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics on February 22, 2026. The team's dramatic overtime victory over Canada marked the first Olympic gold for the U.S. men's hockey team since the legendary 'Miracle on Ice' in 1980, sending waves of celebration through the Mediolanum Forum arena and beyond.
Patel, a known enthusiast of combat sports and hockey, shared several photos from the jubilant scene on his personal Twitter account, which he also reposted to his official FBI profile. One image captured him alongside four players, including Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils, who netted the game-winning goal in overtime to secure the 3-2 win. Another showed Patel grinning next to a champagne-drenched head coach Mike Sullivan, with players erupting in cheers in the background. 'Unity, Sacrifice, Attitude—what it takes to be the best in the world,' Patel wrote in his tweet. 'These men live and breathe it. Now Team USA are gold medal champions, legends standing on the shoulders of giants. Thank you for representing the greatest country on earth, in the greatest game ever created.'
'Unity, Sacrifice, Attitude—what it takes to be the best in the world. These men live and breathe it. Now Team USA are gold medal champions, legends standing on the shoulders of giants. Thank you for representing the greatest country on earth, in the greatest game ever created.'
The appearance came on the heels of a thrilling tournament run for Team USA, which had advanced through the group stages with convincing wins over Norway and Slovakia before edging out Finland in the semifinals. The gold medal game against Canada, a perennial powerhouse, lived up to its billing as a high-stakes rivalry matchup. Hughes' goal, assisted by his brother Quinn Hughes, came at 2:47 of overtime, capping a comeback from a 2-1 deficit in the third period. Sullivan, who previously led the Pittsburgh Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups, praised his team's resilience in post-game remarks, calling the victory 'a testament to American grit and teamwork.'
Patel's presence in Milan drew immediate attention, especially given his boss, President Donald Trump's history of attending major sporting events like the Super Bowl, the U.S. Open, UFC fights, the FIFA World Cup Final, and LIV Golf tournaments at Trump-owned courses. However, the FBI director's locker room drop-in sparked questions about the nature of his travel to Italy, coinciding as it did with the Olympic hockey finale. Earlier in the week, a CBS News report had highlighted Patel's itinerary based on public flight tracking data, suggesting the trip might blend official business with personal interests.
FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson quickly pushed back against the CBS story in a Twitter post on February 19, 2026, emphasizing that the journey was far from recreational. 'No, it’s not a personal trip,' Williamson wrote. '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.' Williamson accused the CBS article of being 'designed to mislead,' relying on 'public flight tracking, guessing, and then filling space with old info and quotes from Democrats.'
'No, it’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.'
Williamson also noted the FBI's 'major role' in Olympics security, underscoring the agency's involvement in international events. The spokesperson's defense aligns with broader context: the FBI maintains legal attaché offices, or Legats, in U.S. embassies worldwide, including Rome, to coordinate with host nations on counterterrorism and public safety. Italy, as host of the 2026 Winter Olympics, had extended an invitation to Patel as far back as July 2025 for discussions on joint security protocols, according to FBI statements.
Despite the official explanation, Patel's Olympic visit reignited scrutiny over his travel habits, which have been a point of contention since his confirmation as FBI director in early 2025. Last year, Congressional Democrats launched an investigation into Patel's use of government aircraft following reports that he flew to a wrestling event in Pennsylvania where his girlfriend performed the national anthem. In April 2025, questions surfaced about two back-to-back trips to New York, where Patel attended hockey games. And in March 2025, Vermont Senator Peter Welch raised concerns about Patel's attendance at an MMA match alongside actor Mel Gibson, questioning whether taxpayer funds were being used for non-essential outings.
The latest episode prompted fresh criticism from the political left. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat, reposted a video of Patel's locker room photos on Twitter and commented, 'While Americans are facing rising costs, Trump, Kash Patel, and others are using our taxpayer dollars to fund their lavish lifestyle.' Booker's remark echoed broader Democratic critiques of the Trump administration's spending priorities amid ongoing debates over inflation and federal budgets. As of February 22, 2026, Booker's tweet had garnered over 50,000 likes and thousands of shares, amplifying the partisan divide.
'While Americans are facing rising costs, Trump, Kash Patel, and others are using our taxpayer dollars to fund their lavish lifestyle.'
Patel's supporters, meanwhile, framed the visit as a morale booster for American athletes and a symbol of national unity. In a statement to reporters outside the arena, an FBI official who spoke on condition of anonymity described the interaction as brief and uplifting, lasting no more than 15 minutes. 'The director wanted to personally congratulate the team on behalf of the bureau and the country,' the official said. 'It's a proud moment for all of us.'
The Milan Cortina Olympics, co-hosted by Milan and the northern town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, have been a showcase of winter sports excellence since opening on February 6, 2026. Team USA's hockey triumphs extended beyond the men: the women's team also captured gold earlier in the games, defeating Canada in an overtime thriller on February 18. That victory, sealed by a goal from Maddie Rooney, added to the U.S. medal haul and heightened the patriotic fervor surrounding the events.
Beyond the ice, Patel's trip included substantive engagements. On February 20, he met with Italian Carabinieri officials to discuss cybersecurity threats to major events, building on prior collaborations. The following day, Patel conferred with U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tillman Fertitta, a Trump appointee and Houston Rockets owner, to review outcomes from a January law enforcement roundtable in Washington. These meetings, confirmed by the U.S. Embassy in Rome, underscore the diplomatic layer to Patel's itinerary.
As the Olympics wind down with closing ceremonies scheduled for February 26, 2026, the episode highlights the intersection of sports, security, and politics in the Trump era. Critics like Booker argue that such high-profile appearances risk perceptions of extravagance, especially with federal investigations into executive travel ongoing. Proponents, including Republican lawmakers, counter that leaders should celebrate American achievements abroad to foster goodwill and deterrence against adversaries.
Looking ahead, the FBI plans to release a full itinerary summary for Patel's trip in the coming weeks, per agency policy on director-level travel. Meanwhile, Team USA's gold medalists return home as heroes, with Hughes and Sullivan already booked for parades in New York and Pittsburgh. For Patel, the visit serves as another chapter in a tenure marked by controversy and commitment to public service—or, depending on one's view, a blend of both.
In the broader landscape of U.S.-Italy relations, the Olympics have provided a platform for enhanced cooperation on global challenges, from doping scandals to venue safety. As one Italian security official told reporters anonymously, 'Director Patel's presence was a strong signal of our shared priorities.' Whether the locker room cheers will drown out the political noise remains to be seen, but for now, the gold medal glow illuminates a moment of unadulterated triumph for American hockey.