FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly participated in a 'VIP snorkel' around the USS Arizona memorial in Hawaii.
FBI Director Kash Patel Under Fire Over Secret 'VIP Snorkel' at Pearl Harbor Memorial During Hawaii Trip
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel recently made headlines over his alleged drinking issues and erratic behavior.
Now, he is back in the spotlight as according to a report by the Associated Press, the FBI director participated in a "VIP snorkel" around the USS Arizona memorial during a 2025 visit to Hawaii that was publicly described as a tour of the Honolulu field office and meetings with local law enforcement.
The FBI reportedly did not publicly disclose the snorkeling session or that Patel returned to Hawaii for two additional days after his initial visit.
'FBI Did Not Disclose the Snorkeling Session'
An X post highlights Kash Patel's alleged "VIP snorkel" excursion.
The Associated Press, which obtained details of the outing from government emails, reported that Patel participated in a "VIP snorkel" around the USS Arizona, coordinated by the military.
Several Navy admirals and secretaries of defense and interior also participated.
"The FBI did not disclose the snorkeling session or that Patel had returned to Hawaii for two days after his initial stopover on the island," the report stated.
Stacey Young, founder of Justice Connection, strongly criticized the FBI director's trip.
"It fits a pattern of Director Patel getting tangled up in unseemly distractions," she said, adding that she believes Patel's attention should be focused on law enforcement responsibilities.
The National Park Service, however, which oversees the USS Arizona memorial, told the media outlet that it was not involved in arranging Patel's dive.
'Part of the Director’s Public National Security Engagements'
An FBI spokesperson declined to answer questions about the recreational session, saying Patel was hosted at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
The spokesperson described it as a standard hosting location for U.S. government officials traveling for official businesses.
Patel's visit to Pearl Harbor “was part of the Director’s public national security engagements last August with counterparts in New Zealand, Australia, our Honolulu Field Office, and the Department of War,” the spokesperson added.
Nevertheless, it still remains unknown how the session was arranged.
Navy spokesperson Capt. Jodie Cornell said the Navy had not been able to confirm who organized the outing.
She said participants were instructed not to touch anything near the sunken ship. The Navy declined to say how often it arranges similar dives, noting that Patel's visit was not characterized as unusual.