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The sight of FBI Director Kash Patel in the Team USA locker room, celebrating his country’s overtime gold-medal victory over Canada, set off a predictable media feeding frenzy that betrayed a deep partisan itch more interested in optics than patriotism. Video from the Milan celebration shows Patel cheering with players, raising a beer, and joining in the raucous jubilation that follows a once-in-a-generation sporting triumph.
Left-leaning pundits and some Democratic lawmakers immediately leapt to condemn Patel’s presence, insisting that a moment of pure American joy somehow equates to dereliction of duty. The same outlets now painting themselves as guardians of propriety ignored their own history of cheering on political operatives when convenient, exposing that their outrage is less about principle and more about scoring partisan points.
Patel answered his critics plainly on social media, saying he was humbled to celebrate with his friends on Team USA and reminding Americans that loyalty to country includes celebrating American excellence on the world stage. He also noted he was in Milan for official meetings with law enforcement partners tied to Olympic security, which undercuts the narrative that he abandoned his responsibilities.
Conservatives should not apologize for patriotism, nor should hardworking Americans allow elite media types to turn a locker-room celebration into a virtue-signaling carnival. The irony is sharp: those who weaponize optics to delegitimize patriotic expression are the same voices who squint at every move of a conservative official and magnify it into scandal while overlooking similar behavior from their side. No public servant should be above scrutiny, but scrutiny must be even-handed and rooted in facts, not partisan theater.
The factual questions the press keeps whispering about — travel arrangements and reimbursements — have explanations offered by the FBI, which says the director’s presence involved meetings and that official travel protocols were followed. Agency rules about secure travel for top officials exist for good reasons, and alleged procedural concerns should be investigated without turning honest fandom into a criminalized spectacle.
At the end of the day, real Americans know what matters: unity, grit, and the simple, fierce joy of our athletes standing atop the podium while the flag rises. If celebrating a historic victory makes the left melt down, then maybe it’s time to stop letting partisan outrage dictate what patriotism looks like — and to get back to honoring the men who brought home gold.
