FBI Director Kash Patel took 'VIP snorkel' at a Pearl Harbor memorial, emails show
PBS • • nation
Key Points:
- FBI Director Christopher Wray's snorkeling session at the USS Arizona memorial in Hawaii, revealed through government emails, has drawn criticism amid concerns over his blending of official duties with leisure activities and use of FBI resources.
- Snorkeling is generally prohibited at the USS Arizona, a military cemetery and historic site, but exceptions have been quietly made for select dignitaries; however, Wray's swim is considered unusual and controversial given the site's solemn significance.
- The FBI and Navy confirmed the visit as part of official national security engagements but declined to disclose details about the snorkeling arrangement or participants, with some officials describing the outing as a "VIP Snorkel."
- Some Pearl Harbor survivors' family members expressed no objections to such rare official excursions, while veterans and critics called the swim inappropriate and disrespectful to the memorial's sanctity.
- Wray's Hawaii trip included multiple stops and a two-night stay, with unanswered questions about his activities beyond the snorkeling, following a controversial visit to New Zealand where he gifted illegal replica pistols to local authorities.