Staff Reports
Americans woke up to video proof that FBI Director Kash Patel was in the locker room celebrating with Team USA after their dramatic overtime gold-medal win at the Winter Olympics, caught on camera cheering, drinking, and even receiving a gold medal from a grateful player. The footage—shared widely across social platforms and picked up by multiple outlets—showed a proud American official joining in a raw moment of patriotism after a victory the country had waited decades to see.
The clips are unvarnished: Patel appears elated, chugging part of a beer, spraying players with celebration, and singing along as the team reveled in their triumph. These are not staged press-room smiles; they are the genuine, messy celebrations of athletes and fans who just watched history happen on the ice.
Unsurprisingly, the usual suspects pounced, drawing outraged headlines about “taxpayer-funded” trips and accusing Patel of putting partying ahead of his duties. The FBI’s public affairs office pushed back, saying Patel’s travel included official meetings and security-related engagements in Italy and that expenses would be handled appropriately, but the narrative-war on cable and social feeds had already begun.
Let’s be blunt: this outcry reeks of political theater. Critics who spent hours vilifying a patriotic moment ignore the difference between a man performing his duties and a man enjoying a once-in-a-generation American win; they would rather weaponize trivial moments than praise unity and excellence on an international stage. The same outlets that condemn displays of national pride have no trouble twisting ordinary human joy into scandal fodder.
Patel himself posted about the moment, praising the players’ unity, sacrifice, and attitude, and thanking them for representing the United States with heart and grit. Conservatives should celebrate a public servant who unabashedly shares our love for country and our athletes, not kneel to reflexive outrage that prioritizes clicks over common sense.
If Washington has a problem, let it be with priorities, not patriotism. We are bombarded daily with real national-security challenges and policy battles; chasing a viral locker-room clip is a distraction manufactured by people who profit from outrage. Let hardworking Americans decide whether a moment of joy is a scandal or a small piece of humanity worth defending.
This moment also offers a reminder to stand up for those who show love for country in public life. Whether you support Kash Patel’s policies or not, the choice to attack a man for celebrating American athletes says more about our critics than it does about him—so let’s keep our eyes on real accountability, not performative fury.
