FBI Director Kash Patel has responded to recent scrutiny over his alleged lavish lifestyle and use of public resources with a series of unusual claims, including owning a "gold-plated jet ski."
Patel has been the subject of criticism regarding his tenure, including reports of excessive drinking, unexplained absences, arranging for his girlfriend to be escorted by SWAT members, and taking a VIP snorkel excursion during a work trip to Hawaii. These reports have prompted an investigation into his use of public resources by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).
Both lawmakers noted that Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) previously sent Patel a letter in May expressing "serious concerns" about the FBI director’s "use of government aircraft, his purchase of a fleet of luxury BMW vehicles, and whether he has reimbursed taxpayers for personal travel."
A senior agency official told NewsNation that the accusations in Grassley’s letter are "completely false."
Patel addressed the scrutiny indirectly via his personal X account, responding to an article from MS NOW titled "Kash Patel Can’t Count On Trump’s Protection Forever." The article suggested it would be a "mistake" for the FBI head to "assume that the umbra of invincibility that covers the president reaches the FBI director as well," warning that testing loyalty could make him a "lightning rod" for criticism.
In his response, Patel reportedly claimed to have a gold-plated jet ski, a remark that appears to be in reaction to the "jet-setting critiques" he is facing.