Ranking Member Raskin, Rep. Kamlager-Dove Demand FBI Director Kash Patel Reimburse Taxpayers, Produce Records After Using Government Jet for Personal Flights, Lavish Vacations, and Romantic Date Nights

Washington, D.C. (December 1, 2025)—Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove are demanding answers from Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel on why American taxpayers are being forced to foot the bill for his leisure travel, as reports indicate Patel has repeatedly abused taxpayer-funded government jets for personal travel—including a “date night” trip with his girlfriend, a luxury hunting getaway, and a golfing excursion in Scotland—all during the Republican shutdown that has left millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet.

“While millions of Americans struggled with skyrocketing healthcare costs, hunger, and missed paychecks due to the Republican ‘Great Gatsby’ shutdown, you used a $60 million government jet for an overnight date with your girlfriend, a Scottish golfing excursion with your buddies, and a trip to a luxury hunting retreat called “Boondoggle Ranch.’ Why should American taxpayers be footing the bill for private jets every time you decide to hang out with your golf buddies, see your girlfriend, or go to your ‘boondoggle’ escape?” wrote the Members.

Reports show that Patel chartered the FBI’s Gulfstream G550—a $62 million aircraft typically found in the fleets of billionaires—for an overnight trip to Pennsylvania on October 25 to attend his girlfriend’s concert at a wrestling match at Penn State University. He then used the same plane to fly her home to Nashville the next day. 

That same weekend, Patel used the FBI jet again to travel to “Boondoggle Ranch,” a luxury Texas hunting resort that, amazingly, advertises itself as the perfect place to “waste money or time on unnecessary or questionable projects.” 

When Patel’s misuse of government aircraft became public through flight records and his girlfriend’s social media posts, he reportedly lashed out at staff—including by firing Special Agent Steven Palmer, a 27-year FBI veteran who led the Bureau’s Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG), which oversees aviation operations and crisis response. Days later, Reagan National Airport faced bomb threats that grounded flights for over an hour, while CIRG remained destabilized by Patel’s retaliatory firing of its third leader this year. 

Patel then attempted to cover his tracks by shielding the FBI’s plane from public flight-tracking databases and continued using the aircraft for personal travel to Nashville—publicly defending the trips as motivated by “love of family.” He has also been accused of flying with “four or five friends” to Scotland for a private golf trip using taxpayer funds. 

These recent excursions follow months of documented misconduct. In May, the Senate Judiciary Committee called out Patel for using a DOJ Boeing 757 to attend hockey matches and fight nights with his girlfriend and celebrities. Patel has even been accused of taking boxes of alcohol aboard the flights. Meanwhile, reports indicate the FBI is now seeking to acquire a new $80 million jet for Patel’s use. This comes after Patel was caught on camera bragging that, as FBI Director, he “ha[s] two” private jets, just like his rich buddies. 

Patel has also come under scrutiny for assigning SWAT teams to protect his girlfriend—yet another misuse of taxpayer-funded resources. 

Patel is not the only one with an obsession with luxury jets in the Trump Administration. Earlier this year, President Trump accepted a $400 million “flying palace” gifted by the Qatari government over bipartisan objections and criticisms and in direct violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to spend nearly $200 million in taxpayer funds on a pair of luxury jets during the shutdown.  

The Members noted that by regulation, Patel is required to reimburse the government for non-official travel and furnish the public with information regarding any travel on government aircraft by non-officials. They also directed Patel to produce records and communications related to travel by himself, travel by other passengers on government planes, and the firing of Steven Palmer.

Click here to read the letter.