U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) recorded a video in August criticizing President Trump’s FBI Director, Kash Patel, for using a government jet after Patel repeatedly criticized former FBI directors (Chris Wray, James Comey) for also using a government jet when they led the agency.
Whitehouse’s video includes clips of Patel’s past criticisms including, “Chris Wray doesn’t need a government-funded G5 jet to go to vacation. Maybe we ground that plane.”
Patel also said: “We’re not the guys running around in private jets, and somebody maybe in Congress should ask for how many flights on a private jet Director Comey took or my predecessor Director Wray took, and how many personal trips they took.”
[NOTE: FBI directors are required for security reasons to use government aircraft for all travel, including personal travel, and must reimburse the government for personal use.]
In the video, Whitehouse incorporated media clips reporting on Patel’s travel on an FBI jet to the Boondoggle Ranch in Texas, to the U.S. men’s hockey game at the Olympics in Milan, Italy, and to the Poodle Lounge in Las Vegas, among other events.
Patel shared the video on Monday and replied, “See you tomorrow Senator.” Patel will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday for an oversight hearing.
See you tomorrow Senator. https://t.co/mRZc0EdY4z
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 15, 2026
In the video, Whitehouse added, “The Trump administration has spent nearly half a billion dollars on fancy new jets and one of them is for Kash Patel. The existing FBI jet I guess isn’t good enough. He needs a fancier one. I wonder if, like Kristi Noem’s, it has a bedroom.”
[NOTE: Trump’s former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced intense scrutiny after DHS used taxpayer money to purchase a $70 million luxury jet, which included a queen-sized bed and multiple flat screen TVs.]
As seen below, Whitehouse also asked Noem to defend the purchase of that jet.
Hey @grok confirm pic.twitter.com/5tdUn1Iefa
— Moet (@AlexMotex14) March 3, 2026
When questioned about the jet by Congress, Noem said the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft was purchased for ICE deportations. She also said she had only flown on it once, but The Wall Street Journal reported that it was used by Noem and top aide Corey Lewandowski. The Trump administration decided to keep the jet after firing Noem, and it is currently available for use by various cabinet members and First Lady Melania Trump.