When the top cop in the country goes on a global trip, we expect every minute to be spent on our safety. It is a different story when those minutes are spent in swim fins over the site of a national tragedy.
WHAT HAPPENED
Last August, FBI Director Kash Patel traveled to Australia and New Zealand for what the bureau called "national security engagements." On his way back, he stopped in Hawaii. The FBI told the public he was there to meet with local police and tour the Honolulu field office.
But leaked emails obtained by the Associated Press tell a secret side of the story. Patel stayed in Hawaii for two extra days that the FBI didn't mention. During that time, the military helped him go on a "VIP snorkel" around the sunken USS Arizona.
The USS Arizona is a holy site for many. It holds the remains of more than 900 sailors and Marines who died in the Pearl Harbor attack. While some high-ranking officials have done this before, it is extremely rare and usually off-limits to everyone else.
What the evidence shows
- 2 extra days were spent in Hawaii but left out of official reports.
- 900 sailors are buried at the site where the swim took place.
- 0 other FBI directors have gone snorkeling there since at least 1993.
- $10,000 was the estimated budget for just the New Zealand leg of the trip.
THE BIGGER QUESTION
We often talk about the "perks of the job," but at what point does a perk become a misuse of power? This story makes us ask why the FBI felt they had to hide the snorkeling trip if it was truly part of his "official duties." We should be asking if our leaders see hallowed ground as a place to learn or just another stop on a world tour.
THE OTHER SIDE
The FBI says this was a normal part of the trip and that regional commanders host top officials all the time. Patel himself defended his travel this week, saying it was "purposely planned" to help with a cybercrime case involving Italian police. While former officials like Chris Miller have called these swims "somber and meaningful," critics say it’s hard to justify using a government plane for a beach weekend.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW
Patel is already under fire for using the FBI plane for other trips, like a recent visit to the Winter Olympics in Italy. This new leak adds fuel to a growing fire in Congress. Lawmakers are likely to start asking for a full receipt of every stop he made and every dollar of taxpayer money he spent.
WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW
- Who exactly gave the final "ok" for the military to lead a snorkeling trip?
- Was any of the $10,000 budget used to pay for the extra days in Hawaii?
- Will there be new rules created to stop officials from snorkeling at national memorials?
SOURCE NOTE
Information came from Associated Press reports and government emails obtained through public record requests. All charges are allegations, Kash Patel is presumed innocent until proven guilty.