April 22, 2026

If you thought FBI director Kash Patel’s beer-chugging ways were just a one-time thing when Team USA won the men’s hockey gold medal at the Olympics, you were mistaken.

A new report in The Atlantic details that Patel’s drinking habits are a major concern and spoke to more than 24 people who are “staffers and law enforcement and intelligence agencies, members of Congress, former advisers, political operatives, lobbyists, and even workers in the hospitality industry” about it.

The 46-year-old is reportedly drinking heavily at the private club Ned’s in D.C., around White House staff, and The Poodle Room in Las Vegas over the weekend. When he first took on the role as director, several meetings had to be pushed back as he had hangovers and tried to recover from nights of heavy drinking.

Even his own security personnel had problems waking him up when he was “seemingly intoxicated” and had to go through extreme measures.

“A request for ‘breaching equipment’ —normally used by SWAT and hostage-rescue teams to quickly gain entry into buildings—was made last year because Patel had been unreachable behind locked doors, according to multiple people familiar with the request,” writes The Atlantic.

His habits have even led to one official admitting that it could be a national security risk now that President Trump has started a war with Iran, and Patel’s leadership could be needed at any time.

Source: FBI Director Kash Patel Fires Back At Report Alleging He Has A Wild Drinking Problem