Watch: Media Melts Down After Kash Celebrates Team USA Win with a Chest Thump and Beer in His Hand - But He's Not Backing Down
When conservatives squabble, a thrilling American victory followed by a liberal media meltdown can reunite us.
On Sunday, in a clip posted to the social media platform X, FBI Director Kash Patel celebrated the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team’s gold medal-winning triumph over Canada by chugging beers, thumping his chest, and pounding a table in the victors’ locker room.
Predictably, liberal media scolds responded in their usual annoying way, prompting a response from the director.
“Yes – Multiple sources have sent me and @KDilanianMSNOW this video *appearing to show* @FBIDirectorKash Patel guzzling from a beer and partying in locker room w US men’s hockey team. His office insisted this was strictly a business trip. We at @MSNOWNews will share what we learn,” former Washington Post staff writer Carol Leonnig wrote on X.
Yes – Multiple sources have sent me and @KDilanianMSNOW this video *appearing to show* @FBIDirectorKash Patel guzzling from a beer and partying in locker room w US men’s hockey team. His office insisted this was strictly a business trip. We at @MSNOWNews will share what we learn pic.twitter.com/IhGuIJkmXA
— Carol Leonnig (@CarolLeonnig) February 23, 2026
First, note the comically serious “breaking news”- style tone. “Multiple sources have sent me” this video that has already circulated widely on social media. What a scoop!
Then came the suggestion of a scandal: “His office insisted this was strictly a business trip.”
Patel himself addressed the ginned-up controversy.
“For the very concerned media – yes, I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys- Greatest country on earth and greatest sport on earth,” the FBI director wrote Sunday on X.
For the very concerned media – yes, I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys- Greatest country on earth and greatest sport on earth.…
— Kash Patel (@Kash_Patel) February 23, 2026
Then, in a lengthier post on Monday morning, Patel addressed Leonnig specifically.
— Kash Patel (@Kash_Patel) February 23, 2026
As for the game itself, USA forward Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal in overtime to defeat Canada, 2-1. Readers may watch that goal in the video below.
🔥 THE SHOT SEEN AROUND THE WORLD!
The crowd went absolutely WILD when Jack Hughes scored that final goal, sealing the victory for Team USA against Canada, winning the gold 🥇
What a way to finish up the Olympics! A TRUE PATRIOT bringing home the gold!🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/tx4uomrw2d
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 22, 2026
Patel, of course, has also come under fire from conservatives, including supporters — erstwhile or otherwise — of President Donald Trump.
Indeed, many voters expected the Patel-led FBI to focus on dismantling the deep state, as Trump promised. Nearly all of the director’s current anti-establishment critics praised him shortly after the 2024 election.
During Donald Trump’s first term, Kash Patel became a pivotal figure in Trump’s battle against the deep state during the Russiagate hoax.
In episode 4 of TCN’s newest documentary series, “All the President’s Men: The Conspiracy Against Trump,” Patel explains how the intel… pic.twitter.com/AFfzxIBeHo
— Tucker Carlson Network (@TCNetwork) November 19, 2024
If Trump picks Mike Rogers, we are screwed and our country will still be controlled by the deep state
If Trump picks Kash Patel, then we will have real accountability and our country will start to heal#KashOnly pic.twitter.com/SgQv61p7fx
— Hodgetwins (@hodgetwins) November 21, 2024
🔥 President Donald J. Trump announces Kash Patel as the next Director of the FBI! This is a very BOLD move. Trump is signaling that he is about to make good on his promise to take DOWN the deep state for good! It’s game time lady’s and gentleman! Pray for Trump and Patel. pic.twitter.com/whcin7BwkC
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) December 1, 2024
Patel, however, has not met the expectations of conservatives who hoped he would bring justice to the deep state.
The disillusionment began in May 2025, when Patel and then-FBI co-Deputy Director Dan Bongino insisted that convicted sex offender and suspected underage sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein killed himself in federal prison in August 2019.
Dan Bongino and Kash Patel are literally the Milli Vanilli of going after the deep state. pic.twitter.com/uiILZdrHw5
— I’m Queenie (@locolibs) January 24, 2026
Since then, the stink of what many perceive as the Trump administration’s Epstein cover-up has attached itself to Patel.
Kash Patel every-time a billionaire pedophile avoids justice:
pic.twitter.com/pkBR1XtpLH— Liger (@EdbieLigerSmith) February 23, 2026
Kyle Seraphin, a podcaster and former FBI whistleblower, also shared the locker-room video and accused Patel of having “abused his official position.”
EXCLUSIVE LEAKED VIDEO:
Kash Patel chugging beers and wearing a Team USA Hockey Gold medal in locker room.@FBIDirectorKash appears to have abused his official position in violations of 5 CFR 2635 “Misuse of Official Position.” https://t.co/dB9SuOXt5M pic.twitter.com/WxsNNlK4SW
— Kyle Seraphin (@KyleSeraphin) February 22, 2026
But that critique, it seems, stemmed largely from Seraphin’s disillusionment over the administration’s Epstein catastrophe.
“I think Bongino’s gone at the end of the year,” Seraphin told fellow podcaster and legendary (or notorious) conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in July 2025, per Newsweek.
Seraphin then predicted that Patel “doesn’t make it past midterms” on account of the Epstein debacle. That prediction bears noting in large part because Bongino did indeed leave the FBI last month, as Seraphin said he would.
On the whole, whatever one thinks of Patel’s performance as FBI Director, Sunday’s gold-medal triumph hardly seemed like the right time to vent frustrations.
Yes, Kash Patel is the FBI Director.
Kash Patel is also a patriotic American and diehard Hockey fan.
There is nothing wrong with celebrating a Gold Medal.
We can walk and chew gum at the same time!
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) February 23, 2026
I don’t mind that Kash Patel got to have an amazing moment and celebrate with the USA hockey team.
But I do mind that our entire country seems to be controlled by Epstein billionaires and banking families that appear to be puppeting Biden, Trump, tech billionaires and Congress.
— An0maly (@LegendaryEnergy) February 23, 2026
Conservatives have plenty of time to resume our squabbles. Let the Olympic heroes (and Patel) have their moment. If anyone must sully that moment with grievances, let it be the media liberals who do it best.
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