FBI Director Kash Patel’s snorkeling trip near USS Arizona memorial and ethics controversies
Consensus Summary
FBI Director Kash Patel is under intense scrutiny for participating in a snorkeling excursion near the USS Arizona memorial in Hawaii, a site holding the remains of over 900 US sailors and Marines killed at Pearl Harbor. The trip, labeled a 'VIP Snorkel' in a US Defence Department email, involved Patel and nine others escorted by Navy Seals, despite rules prohibiting visitors from even wearing swimwear at the memorial. Patel’s use of government resources for personal travel, including a $35,000–$50,000 private suite for a country music concert in Philadelphia and a full-time SWAT security detail for his girlfriend Alexis Wilkins, has drawn bipartisan criticism. The FBI has justified Wilkins’ security due to alleged death threats, though such perks are unprecedented for FBI directors’ partners. Patel’s tenure has also been marked by purges of agents, lawsuits, and an exodus of employees, further complicating his leadership amid domestic threats. While the Navy confirmed safety briefings were given, veterans and former officials have condemned the trip as disrespectful to the war grave, comparing it to Arlington National Cemetery. Patel’s defenders argue the excursion was a routine historical tour, but the controversy underscores broader ethical concerns about his use of government resources.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Kash Patel participated in a snorkeling excursion near the USS Arizona memorial in Hawaii on August 2025 (reported as 'last summer' in multiple sources).
- The trip was labeled a 'VIP Snorkel' in a US Defence Department email and involved Patel and nine other people escorted by US Navy Seals.
- Patel swam in the vicinity of the USS Arizona for 30 minutes, according to the US Navy.
- The USS Arizona holds the remains of over 900 (THEAGE/SMH) or over 1,000 (GUARDIAN) US Navy sailors and Marines who died at Pearl Harbor in 1941.
- Admiral Samuel J. Paparo Jr., head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, invited Patel to Pearl Harbor.
- The Navy confirmed that participants received a safety briefing prohibiting contact with the USS Arizona and emphasizing its historic significance as a war grave.
- Patel used a government jet to travel to a country music concert in Philadelphia on May 10, 2025, where he and his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, attended from a private suite costing $35,000–$50,000.
- Wilkins receives a full-time SWAT security detail costing approximately $1 million annually, transferred from other FBI field offices to Nashville.
- Patel has faced bipartisan criticism for blending official business with leisure travel, including using government jets for personal trips and providing perks to Wilkins.
- The FBI has justified Wilkins’ security detail citing 'constant, serious threats' against her, as stated by Patel and Acting Attorney-General Todd Blanche.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- William M. McBride, a Navy veteran and professor emeritus, called the snorkeling trip 'horrifying' and compared it to playing kickball on Arlington National Cemetery graves.
- Patel has purged agents deemed insufficiently loyal or involved in Trump investigations, leading to lawsuits and an exodus of employees from field offices like San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Phoenix.
- Patel sued The Atlantic for an article alleging excessive drinking and unexplained absences, and the FBI investigated a New York Times reporter for an article about Wilkins’ security, but the Justice Department found no legal basis to proceed.
- Patel attended a closed-door meeting on fentanyl trafficking in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in April 2026, bringing Wilkins with him.
- Patel took a government jet to Italy during the Winter Olympics in February 2026 and was criticized for drinking beer and partying in the locker room with the US men’s hockey team.
- The FBI spokesperson accused the Associated Press of 'spinning an invitation from the Commanding General as a party or vacation,' calling it 'so stupid.'
- Former FBI Director James Comey criticized Patel’s snorkeling trip, stating that as FBI director, one must represent 'an American idea that’s respected around the world' and is 'always on duty.'
- The Navy spokesperson confirmed that VIP tours near the USS Arizona are routine but declined to specify how often snorkeling occurs.
- The article includes a quote from Christopher O’Leary, a former senior executive in the FBI’s counterterrorism division, stating, 'Anybody who can retire has or is, and the rest are counting the days.'
- Patel’s tenure has been marked by purges of agents, leading to widespread criticism and an embarrassing distraction as the agency faces domestic threats, including those related to the war in Iran.
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- THEAGE and SMH state the USS Arizona holds the remains of over 900 sailors, while the GUARDIAN states over 1,000.
- THEAGE and SMH describe the snorkeling trip as occurring in 'last summer' (2025), but the GUARDIAN does not specify a year, only that it was in August during Patel’s Hawaii stopover.
- THEAGE and SMH claim Patel’s use of government jets for personal trips has drawn bipartisan criticism even within the Trump administration, while the GUARDIAN does not mention internal Trump administration scrutiny.
- THEAGE and SMH report that Patel berated an FBI official who recommended a legal review of Wilkins’ security detail, but the FBI spokesperson denies Patel ordered anything improper or berated agents.
- THEAGE and SMH state that Wilkins’ security detail costs about $1 million annually, while the GUARDIAN does not provide a specific cost figure.
Source Articles
Kash Patel’s ‘horrifying’ VIP snorkel next to sacred US military site
The FBI director continues to come under scrutiny for mixing government business with dates, holidays and leisure time.
Kash Patel faces scrutiny over snorkeling outing at USS Arizona memorial in Hawaii
FBI director reportedly took a snorkel excursion at site containing remains of more than 1,000 navy sailors and marines The FBI director, Kash Patel, is facing new scrutiny following reports that he participated in a snorkeling excursion around the USS Arizona during a trip to Hawaii last summer. The outing was first reported this week by the Associated Press, which obtained government emails describing the excursion as a “VIP snorkel” around the USS Arizona – the site that holds the remains of
Kash Patel’s ‘horrifying’ VIP snorkel next to sacred US military site
The FBI director continues to come under scrutiny for mixing government business with dates, holidays and leisure time.