FBI Director Kash Patel denies drinking allegations in heated Senate exchange

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Kash Patel angrily lashed out at a Democratic lawmaker at a budget hearing Tuesday, calling allegations that he drinks excessively on the job and has been unreachable to his staff at times “unequivocally, categorically false.”

“I will not be tarnished by baseless allegations and fraudulent statements from the media,” Patel told Sen. Chris Van Hollen during a testy exchange that began when the Maryland Democrat confronted him about a recent article in The Atlantic magazine that painted an unflattering portrait of his leadership of the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency.

Patel has filed a $250 million lawsuit over the story. The Atlantic has said it stands by its reporting and would vigorously defend against the “meritless lawsuit.”

Patel shouted over Van Hollen and sought to turn the tables by accusing him of “slinging margaritas on the taxpayer dime” in El Salvador, a reference to a visit the Democrat paid last year to Kilmar Abrego Garcia while he was jailed there following his mistaken deportation to the country.

“The only person who has been drinking during the day on the taxpayer dime was you,” Patel said.

“Director Patel, come on,” Van Hollen said. “These are serious allegations that were made against you.”

He at one point asked Patel if he was willing to take a test meant to measure whether an individual has a drinking problem, prompting Patel to shoot back, “I’ll take any test you’re willing to take.”

The senator called Patel's claims of margaritas in El Salvador “provably false.” After last year's meeting, Van Hollen publicly accused El Salvador’s government of having misrepresented the nature of his encounter with Abrego Garcia, saying officials there had staged the meeting with drinks appearing to be alcohol and angled to set the meeting by a hotel pool.

The testy exchange occurred at an annual Senate subcommittee budget hearing featuring Patel and other senior law enforcement leaders. The director used the forum to tout what he described as major crime-fighting achievements since he took the position and received a friendly reception from Republican senators who praised his leadership.

Democrats, by contrast, pressed Patel on headline-generating travel that has blended his professional duties with private leisure — including a trip to the Winter Olympics in Italy, where he partied with the U.S. men's hockey team after their gold medal win — as well as the mass terminations of agents who worked on investigations into President Donald Trump.

“You attended the Olympics in Milan,” said Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat. “How much did your trip cost and to what extent did that help you carry out your mission as director of the FBI?”

Patel responded that the FBI was responsible for security at the Olympics and asserted that his trip to Italy helped facilitate the transfer of a Chinese cybercriminal to U.S. custody, who had been detained by Italian authorities.

FBI director Kash Patel testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing on Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives the on Capitol Hill, Tuesday May 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., speaks during the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing on Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives the on Capitol Hill, Tuesday May 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

FBI director Kash Patel testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing on Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

FBI director Kash Patel testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing on Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Cavan Sullivan became the youngest player to score a goal in U.S. men's national team history, fellow teenager Julian Hall added another goal and the Americans cruised to a 3-0 victory over Mexico on Saturday night in an international friendly that was the 80th match between the rivals.

At 17 years and five days old, Sullivan scored his stunning goal in the 62nd minute, intercepting a sloppy pass from Mexico goalkeeper José Rangel and then lofting a long shot over the goalkeeper’s head into the net for a 2-0 lead. The Philadelphia Union forward sprinted to the corner of the field where he was mobbed by teammates.

“This is what you dream of,” Sullivan said. “I've manifested this not just these past couple days, but my whole life. The celebration — every bit of it. This is a special moment for me and my family. Most importantly, for the team, a great win and an awesome environment to do it in.”

U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino shared a big hug with Sullivan when was subbed off a few minutes later.

“He's a fighter, he's a warrior,” Pochettino said. “It's difficult to find this type of player. Tremendous quality.”

Gio Reyna's crossing pass in the 28th minute deflected off Rangel's foot, leading to an easy goal for the 18-year-old Hall, who used his right foot to blast the ball into the net at close range for a 1-0 advantage. It was his third international goal in three games.

Hall — who also scored goals against Peru and Chile last week — plays for the New York Red Bulls.

Malik Tillman capped the scoring with a goal in the 84th minute, finding the top left corner of the net.

Mexico was down to 10 men for the final 20-plus minutes of the second half after Mateo Chávez was sent off with a red card in the 67th minute. Chávez committed a hard foul on Yunus Musah and then smacked Sebastian Berhalter in the face with both hands when the U.S. midfielder confronted him.

Mexico's fans were in the majority on Saturday, even though the match was played at State Farm Stadium in Arizona. El Tri controlled the action through the first 20 minutes but the U.S. slowly gained its footing.

It was the first meeting between the rivals since Mexico beat the U.S. 2-1 in the 2025 Gold Cup final.

Mexico's Rafael Márquez lost his first game as head coach in the heated rivalry. The 47-year-old was moved into the top job in September after serving under Javier Aguirre as assistant from August 2024 until Mexico’s loss to England in the round of 16 of this summer’s World Cup.

The former Barcelona star has plenty of history against the U.S. as a player from 1997 to 2018, famously getting a red card in 2002 after intentionally head butting U.S. player Cobi Jones.

Pochettino named midfielder Tyler Adams captain on Friday. It was Adams' 61st international appearance, which is tied with defender Antonee Robinson for the most on the current squad.

Diego Kochen had a clean sheet in his first international start in goal for the Americans. The 20-year-old currently plays professionally in the Danish league for Lyngby on loan from Barcelona. Kochen made an impressive save in the 57th minute, deflecting a hard shot from Roberto Alvarado over the net.

The Americans were coming off two impressive wins last week, beating Peru 4-1 and Chile 4-2. Mexico had a pair of 1-1 draws against Peru and Colombia.

The series between the two countries dates to 1934. Mexico has won 38 times, the U.S. has won 25 and the teams have fought to 17 draws.

Mexico faces Chile on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

U.S. hosts Canada on Tuesday in St. Paul, Minnesota.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Mexico forward Santiago Gimenez (11) and U.S. midfielder Sabastian Berhalter shove each other in the second half of an international friendly soccer match in Glendale, Ariz., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

U.S. forward Cavan Suulivan celebrates after scoring against Mexico in the second half of an international friendly soccer match in Glendale, Ariz., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Mexico defensmane Israel Reyes (15) shields the ball from U.S. midfielder Gio Reyna in the first half during an international friendly soccer match in Glendale, Ariz., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Mexico midfielder Luis Romo (7) dribbles the ball past U.S. defenseman Auston Trusty in the first half of an international friendly soccer match in Glendale, Ariz., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

U.S. forward Cavan Sullivan (8) heads th eball in front of Mexico defenseman Johan Vasquez in the first half during an international friendly soccer match in Glendale, Ariz., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Mexico defenseman Israel Reyes kicks the ball in front of U.S. midfielder Malik Tillman (17) in the first half during an international friendly soccer match in Glendale, Ariz., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)