Patel takes FBI jet to Italy, plans to watch Olympic hockey medal rounds, sources say
#FBI Director Kash Patel #Olympic hockey #Government jet travel #Congressional probe #FBI aircraft #Milan Olympics #Hockey fan #Law enforcement meetings
📌 Key Takeaways
- FBI Director Kash Patel used an FBI jet to travel to Italy to watch Olympic hockey medal rounds
- Congressional Democrats have previously questioned Patel's extensive use of government aircraft for personal trips
- Patel has a known passion for hockey, playing in a local league and previously coaching youth teams
- The FBI director is required to use government aircraft for both official and personal travel to maintain access to secure communications
📖 Full Retelling
FBI Director Kash Patel, whose use of a government jet has frequently come under scrutiny, took the FBI Gulfstream jet on Thursday to fly to Italy with plans to attend the Olympic hockey medal rounds, according to public data and sources familiar with the matter. Public flight data reviewed by CBS News showed the FBI jet took off on Thursday morning from Manassas, Virginia, after a brief flight to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland the previous day. Sources confirmed to CBS News that Patel was en route to Milan, where he is planning to watch the Men's USA Olympic hockey team compete in the medal rounds. Patel's plane landed in Italy Thursday evening, local time, according to a source at Flight Radar 24. As part of the trip, Patel is also scheduled to take part in meetings with law enforcement counterparts in Italy, one of the sources added. Congressional Democrats late last year launched a probe into Patel's use of the government plane, after media reports revealed that he had used it for personal excursions ranging from a sporting event in Pennsylvania where his girlfriend was performing to a date night in Tennessee, and a Texas resort known as 'Boondoggle Ranch.' Patel, who plays in a local hockey league in Virginia and previously coached youth hockey, has previously used the FBI plane to attend hockey games, including appearing at a charity hockey event in New York and watching Capitals star Alex Ovechkin break the NHL scoring record.
🏷️ Themes
Government travel policies, Olympic sports, Law enforcement leadership
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Original Source
Politics FBI Director Kash Patel, ice hockey superfan, takes agency jet to Olympic hockey finals in Italy, sources say By Sarah N. Lynch , Sarah N. Lynch Senior Justice Department Reporter Sarah N. Lynch is the senior Justice Department reporter for CBS News, based in Washington, D.C. Read Full Bio Sarah N. Lynch , Matthew Mosk Updated on: February 19, 2026 / 3:29 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google FBI Director Kash Patel, whose use of a government jet has frequently come under scrutiny , took the same plane on Thursday to fly to Italy with plans to attend the Olympic hockey medal rounds, according to public data and sources familiar with the matter. Public flight data reviewed by CBS News showed the FBI Gulfstream jet that is customarily used by the FBI director took off on Thursday morning for an Air Force base in Italy, after a brief flight from Manassas, Virginia, to Joint Base Andrews, in Maryland Wednesday. Sources also confirmed to CBS News that Patel was en route to Milan, where he is planning to watch the Men's USA Olympic hockey team compete in the medal rounds. Patel separately sent several posts on social media on Thursday morning in support of the American hockey teams. Patel's plane landed in Italy Thursday evening, local time, according to a source at Flight Radar 24. As part of the trip, Patel is also scheduled to take part in meetings with law enforcement counterparts in Italy, one of the sources added. An FBI spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. Congressional Democrats late last year launched a probe into Patel's use of the government plane, after media reports revealed that he had used it for personal excursions ranging from a sporting event in Pennsylvania where his girlfriend was performing and a date night in Tennessee, to a Texas resort known as "Boondoggle Ranch." FBI directors are required to use government aircraft for air travel, whether official or personal, in order to ensure they maintain access to secure communicat...
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