FBI Director Kash Patel’s recent trip to Hawaii has ignited a fierce debate about propriety, transparency, and the respectful treatment of America’s most sacred sites. According to a series of reports from the Associated Press and other outlets, Patel participated in a private “VIP snorkel” session at the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor last August—a move that has drawn both official explanations and pointed criticism from veterans, former officials, and members of the public.
The USS Arizona, resting beneath the waters of Pearl Harbor, is not just any shipwreck. It entombs more than 900 sailors and Marines who perished in the infamous December 7, 1941, Japanese attack—a day that President Franklin Roosevelt declared “a date which will live in infamy.” The memorial has since become a hallowed ground, a site of national mourning and reflection, and is typically off-limits to tourists, families of the fallen, and even most government officials. Only National Park Service crews and marine archaeologists are generally permitted to dive or snorkel at the site, and even then, only for maintenance or research.
Yet, as government emails obtained by the Associated Press reveal, Patel’s snorkeling excursion was coordinated by military officials during a broader Indo-Pacific trip that also took him to Australia and New Zealand for meetings with foreign law enforcement and intelligence partners. The FBI’s official public releases at the time highlighted Patel’s visit to the bureau’s Honolulu field office and meetings with local law enforcement, but omitted any mention of the underwater tour or Patel’s return to Hawaii for an additional two-day stay after his official business had concluded.
Flight-tracking data reviewed by the AP showed that the FBI’s Gulfstream G550 jet remained in Hawaii for two nights before departing for Las Vegas, Patel’s hometown. The omission of the snorkeling session from official accounts, coupled with the use of government resources for what critics allege was a leisure activity, has only fueled the controversy.
When pressed for comment, a spokesperson for the FBI told Rolling Stone that Patel’s visit 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,” and that the outing was hosted by the IndoPacom Commander. The statement emphasized that such visits are not unprecedented, with the Navy and the Park Service occasionally allowing a small number of dignitaries and officials to swim at the site since the Obama administration. However, the Navy declined to provide a list of those who have been granted such access, and the National Park Service said it was not involved in Patel’s excursion.
FBI spokesman Ben Williamson took to social media to defend the director, stating, “It’s a historical tour to honor heroes who died on the USS Arizona—not a party.” He further accused the AP of trying to “spin an invitation from the Commanding General of Indo Pacom to a military base as a party or vacation, which is so stupid.” According to Williamson, the Department of War “routinely does these engagements with interagency partners—to include this one.” He also pointed out that when Patel served as Chief of Staff for the Department of Defense, similar events were organized for visiting partners.
Despite these official defenses, some who are deeply connected to the Arizona Memorial remain unconvinced. Hack Albertson, a Marine veteran who dives on the Arizona annually to check its condition, told the AP, “It’s like having a bachelor party at a church. It’s hallowed ground. It needs to be treated with the solemnity it deserves.” The analogy resonated with many veterans and observers, who argue that the site’s significance demands the utmost respect and discretion.
Former FBI Director James Comey weighed in on the controversy during an interview with CNN, expressing disbelief at the idea of an agency head swimming at the memorial. “You said snorkeling?” Comey asked incredulously, noting that while he had visited the memorial, he never entered the water. “I think when you’re FBI director you have a responsibility to represent not just yourself but 38,000 people and an idea, an American idea that’s respected around the world.”
Others see the incident as part of a broader pattern. Stacey Young, founder of Justice Connection, told the AP, “It fits a pattern of Director Patel getting tangled up in unseemly distractions—this time at a site commemorating the second deadliest attack in U.S. history—instead of staying laser-focused on keeping Americans safe.”
The controversy surrounding the Hawaii trip is hardly Patel’s first brush with public scrutiny. He has previously faced criticism for using government resources for personal or seemingly recreational purposes. Earlier this year, Patel was seen celebrating with the U.S. men’s hockey team in their locker room after their gold medal win at the Winter Olympics in Milan, an event that raised eyebrows about the use of taxpayer-funded travel. Patel insisted that the Olympics trip was “purposely planned” to assist a cybercrime investigation and included meetings with Italian authorities. He has also been investigated for using the FBI’s Gulfstream jet to transport his girlfriend to various locations.
Patel’s international travels have not been without incident, either. During a visit to New Zealand, he reportedly gifted local officials with replica 3D-printed pistols—items that are illegal to possess under New Zealand law, prompting backlash from local authorities and further questions about Patel’s judgment.
His recent testimony before Congress only added fuel to the fire. During a tense exchange with Senator Chris Van Hollen regarding reports of excessive drinking, Patel angrily dismissed the allegations and accused the senator of drinking on the taxpayer’s dime during a trip to El Salvador, an accusation Van Hollen denies. The hearing underscored the contentious atmosphere that now surrounds Patel’s tenure at the top of the FBI.
For some, the explanations offered by the FBI and military officials—namely that such snorkeling excursions for dignitaries are not entirely without precedent—ring hollow. Former government divers familiar with operations at Pearl Harbor told the AP that dignitaries, including defense secretaries and military leaders, have occasionally participated in similar excursions dating back to the Obama administration, but such access is rare and typically reserved for those with a direct connection to the site’s maintenance or commemoration.
As the debate continues, the episode has raised broader questions about the intersection of official duty, personal privilege, and the stewardship of America’s most revered memorials. The USS Arizona remains a symbol of sacrifice and national memory—a place where, as Hack Albertson put it, solemnity should always prevail. Whether or not Patel’s visit crossed a line, the outcry serves as a reminder of the enduring power such sites hold in the American conscience.