The FBI Director, Kash Patel, has been criticised following his appearance at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. While his office states the trip is for official security briefings, members of the public have questioned the timing of the visit. The Bureau is currently leading a high-profile search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie, who was abducted from her home earlier this month.
Director Patel was seen in an Olympic hospitality suite on 19 February 2026 during a match involving the United States men's ice hockey team. Public flight records indicate that the Director travelled to Italy on a government-funded aircraft at an estimated cost of $75,000 (approximately £55,500). Critics argue that his presence is required in the United States to oversee the investigation into the Guthrie kidnapping.
