Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel and the Justice Department demanding a list of Patel’s personal travel history after it was revealed that the director took a “VIP snorkel” trip while in Hawaii.
Senate Democrats requested records documenting Patel’s travel, expenses, and use of government resources, arguing recent reports have raised questions about whether he is improperly mixing his duties with personal activities while overseeing the nation’s top law enforcement agency, the Hill was first to report.
The latest scrutiny follows an Associated Press report detailing what internal emails described as a “VIP snorkel” near the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor during a stop in Hawaii last August. Patel, who was traveling for engagements in the Indo-Pacific region, went snorkeling near the historic site, according to reports.
The USS Arizona Memorial marks the resting place of more than 1,000 sailors and Marines killed during Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. While limited military and government officials have previously been allowed special access to waters near the memorial, reports said no FBI director dating back at least three decades is known to have participated in a similar excursion.
The FBI has defended Patel’s Hawaii stop, calling criticism over the snorkeling excursion misleading and saying the visit was part of national security engagements. The bureau said Patel had been invited by senior military officials and described the outing as a historical tour intended to honor those killed at Pearl Harbor rather than a leisure activity.
The Hawaii episode is the latest string of disputes between Patel and Senate Democrats since he took office. Democrats sharply opposed Patel’s confirmation, citing his close ties to President Donald Trump and previous statements criticizing the FBI.
More recently, Democratic lawmakers have pressed Patel over allegations published by the Atlantic regarding excessive drinking and unexplained absences, claims Patel has repeatedly denied, even filing a $250 million lawsuit against the magazine.
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During a Senate hearing earlier this month, Patel forcefully rejected accusations surrounding his conduct and defended his leadership of the bureau.
Patel has also fielded other accusations related exclusively to travel, including his attendance at the 2026 Winter Olympics and reports that his girlfriend used the FBI’s jet to attend a concert, both of which have drawn the ire of Democrats in Congress.