FBI defends Kash Patel after report alleging he gifts custom whiskey bottles

Summary: The FBI is defending its director, Kash Patel, after a report said he hands out custom bottles of bourbon. The bottles say "Ka$h" and feature an FBI shield. The FBI claims this is a normal gift exchange and that Patel pays for personal gifts himself. The report also says Patel carried the whiskey on an official jet and drank beer with the US Olympic hockey team.

This news comes after earlier rumors claimed Patel drinks too much and that his security team once had a hard time waking him up. Patel strongly denied those rumors and is now suing the magazine for $250 million. He is also accused of having the FBI investigate a reporter who wrote a story about his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins.

For more details, see rssapp-theguardian-com-culture at theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/07/fbi-defends-kash-patel-custom-whiskey-bottles (opens in new tab)