FBI Director Kash Patel went on a “VIP snorkel” excursion at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor during a Hawaii trip last summer, according to government emails obtained by the Associated Press.The outing took place in August 2025, after Patel returned to Hawaii from official visits to Australia and New Zealand, during which he met with foreign law enforcement and intelligence officials. Military officials coordinated the snorkeling session, described in emails as “VIP snorkel,” around the USS Arizona, the sunken battleship that serves as the final resting place for more than 900 sailors and Marines killed during Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
The FBI publicly highlighted Patel’s stop in Hawaii to visit the bureau’s Honolulu field office and meet with local law enforcement, but did not disclose the snorkeling session or his return to the island for an additional two-day stay.
Flight-tracking data reviewed by the Associated Press showed the Gulfstream G550 aircraft commonly used by the FBI director remained in Hawaii for two nights before traveling to Las Vegas.
FBI spokesman Ben Williamson posted a statement on X disputing the Associated Press’s report, saying that the snorkeling adventure was part of a Department of War engagement with interagency partners.
