The FBI Director Who’d Rather Be Elsewhere: Kash Patel’s Celebrity Connections and Public Profile Draw Scrutiny
- Unlike his predecessors who maintained low public profiles, Patel frequently posts photos of himself on social media, sometimes wearing FBI gear during training exercises or operations.
FBI Director Kash Patel has implemented significant changes to longstanding agency protocols while cultivating a public image that includes numerous appearances with celebrities and athletes, raising questions among current and former agency officials about his approach to the role.
Since taking office on February 20, Patel has reduced the traditional daily intelligence briefings to twice weekly, discontinued regular field office leader teleconferences, and traveled extensively on FBI aircraft to sporting events and locations where he has personal connections, NBC News reported.
Patel’s embrace of the spotlight stands in stark contrast to the typically reserved approach of his predecessors. A recent New York Times report titled “Patel Loves the Limelight” highlighted the director’s unusual comfort with public attention and celebrity culture, describing it as a departure from the bureau’s historically buttoned-up image.
The 44-year-old director’s frequent appearances with celebrities have particularly drawn attention. In April, he was photographed sitting next to hockey legend Wayne Gretzky at a New York Rangers game where Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin broke Gretzky’s career goals record. FBI spokesman Ben Williamson told NBC News that Patel is “a longtime friend of Gretzky’s” and that “Kash has and always will support his friends on and off the ice.”
Patel has also been spotted at Ultimate Fighting Championship events, traveling with President Trump on Air Force One to a UFC match in Miami on April 12. Earlier that month, he attended another UFC fight in Las Vegas where he spent time with actor Mel Gibson.
During an April trip to Las Vegas, Patel was photographed training at UFC headquarters with former bodybuilding champion Miloš Šarčev, according to social media posts. That same visit included dinner with poker champion Mike Matusow and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, as documented in Matusow’s social media posts.
“There’s a growing sense among the ranks that there’s a leadership void,” said Stacey Young, a former Department of Justice lawyer who co-founded Justice Connection, an organization supporting current and former DOJ employees, according to the NBC News investigation.
Unlike his predecessors who maintained low public profiles, Patel frequently posts photos of himself on social media, sometimes wearing FBI gear during training exercises or operations. This approach contrasts sharply with former directors like Robert Mueller and Christopher Wray, who generally avoided media attention.
Despite coming into office as a vocal FBI critic, Patel has not initiated the sweeping personnel changes some anticipated. The bureau has shifted resources toward the administration’s priorities of targeting Mexican drug cartels and Central American gangs while maintaining traditional counterterrorism and counterintelligence operations.
In Senate testimony last Thursday, Patel endorsed the White House’s proposed 5% reduction to the FBI’s budget, stating: “My view is that we will make and agree with this budget as it stands, and make it work for the operational necessity of the FBI.”
The FBI declined to comment on specific travel arrangements, with Williamson stating, “The FBI does not comment on travel arrangements for security purposes. All ethical guidelines are followed rigorously.”
Williamson defended Patel’s performance, saying, “Director Patel is working day and night to lead the Bureau and protect the homeland. The results so far speak for themselves — and we are just getting started.”
(Top photo: Mel Gibson Exclusive/Facebook)