Bulwark Takes: Did Taxpayers Just Fund Kash Patel’s Olympic Getaway?

Date: February 23, 2026
Hosts: Sam Stein & Will Sommer
Episode Theme: In the inaugural "MAGA Mondays," Sam Stein and Will Sommer discuss the viral story of FBI Director Kash Patel’s Milan/Hockey escapades (and the potential misuse of taxpayer dollars), a Tucker Carlson/Mike Huckabee diplomatic debacle in Israel, and the latest in the messy Florida governor's race involving James Fishback.

Episode Overview

This lively, rapid-fire episode kicks off the new "MAGA Mondays" live franchise and dives into a trio of stories showcasing the chaos and absurdity dominating the contemporary right:

• Allegations of FBI Director Kash Patel exploiting government resources for a personal Olympic hockey trip.
• Tucker Carlson's bizarre diplomatic run-in with Mike Huckabee in Israel, sparking controversy and misinformation.
• The eccentric, ugly Florida gubernatorial primary where grifter James Fishback is gaining unexpected traction.

Throughout, Stein and Sommer provide snappy analysis, memorable soundbites, and inside-baseball commentary on the MAGA mediasphere.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Kash Patel’s Olympic Hockey Getaway

Main Question: Did the FBI Director use taxpayer funds for a personal trip to the Olympics?

• Kash Patel (FBI Director) was seen chugging beers with the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team in Milan, raising suspicions over the official nature of his trip ([03:24-08:27]).
• FBI claimed it was an "official" trip, with meetings and Olympic security reviews planned, but evidence suggests Patel built those duties around his wish to watch hockey ([05:06]).
• The government cost? Likely $75,000+ for flights, while Patel may have reimbursed only a commercial airfare equivalent ($1200-$1500).
• Past criticism: Patel had attacked previous FBI directors for the same jet usage, calling their trips wasteful ([15:15-15:51]).
• Viral locker room videos showed Patel celebrating with players, chugging beers; Trump later called in to congratulate the team, which Patel took mid-chug ([09:32]).
• Hypocrisy highlighted: Patel’s prior condemnation of such behavior by Chris Wray, now caught in identical actions.

Notable Quotes:

• "It was like he built these official functions around his desire to go to Milan to watch the hockey game because he's a huge hockey fan." – Sam Stein ([05:06])
• "You would think he's the MVP of the game. Of course they're playing Toby Keith...Like, bro thinks he's on the team." – Will Sommer ([07:21])
• "You can't have the FBI director chugging beers and jumping around like this." – Will Sommer ([08:27])
• "This is just pure hypocrisy. I mean, he was very critical of Chris Ray for using the government-funded jet for personal travel." – Sam Stein ([14:26])

Memorable Moment:
Patel’s viral beer-chugging, as Trump calls the locker room post-game, is dissected as both peak bro-energy and national embarrassment.

2. Tucker Carlson & Mike Huckabee’s Israel Interview Gone Wrong

Background: Huckabee, as U.S. Ambassador to Israel, invites top MAGA critic Tucker Carlson for a PR interview, hoping to sway him.

The Debacle:

• Carlson accepts, but is paranoid about security and possible abduction ([17:18-17:43]).
• The interview happens in an airport diplomatic lounge for safety; Huckabee "sounded like a lunatic" and made explosive off-the-cuff statements ([17:43]).
• Controversies included Huckabee endorsing the idea of “Greater Israel” — expansion into neighboring Arab countries — causing a diplomatic stir ([18:37]).
• Further gaffes: Huckabee professing to care about American opinion, then dismissing poll majorities against war with Iran ([18:37-19:24]).
• Tucker (falsely) accuses Israel’s President Herzog of visiting Epstein’s island, referencing AI-generated images, then softly retracts after official denials and threats of lawsuits ([19:24-20:16]).

Notable Quotes:

• "Would you be okay with Greater Israel?" – Tucker Carlson, leading to Huckabee’s blunderful assent ([18:37])
• "Huckabee may have thought Tucker wouldn’t go to Israel. And that might explain why the embassy was so weird..." – Will Sommer ([20:42])
• "Tucker had to put out a video saying, oh my gosh, I certainly don't want to jump to conclusions... He retracted, but not apologize." – Sam Stein/Will Sommer ([20:14])

Discussion on Tucker's Role:

• Shifting influence—no longer a White House kingmaker, but still sparks feverish reactions.
• Right-wing media less unified—Carlson’s positions on Israel/Iran now seen as fringe among pro-Israel conservatives ([21:57-22:38]).

3. The Florida Gubernatorial Clown Show: James Fishback

Characters:

• James Fishback: 30-something hard-right “grifter” with a dubious past, running for governor as a “Groiper."
• Byron Donalds: The presumed GOP frontrunner, forced onto the defensive by Fishback’s rise.
• Fishback known for internet stunts, racist trolling, appearing at campus events, and financial/legal controversies ([27:26-33:29]).

Escalating Antics:

• Donalds, surprisingly, publicly attacks Fishback as “not a real groyper” (i.e., not a legitimate member of a racist internet movement)—a supposed insult that is unintentionally an honor ([28:47]).
• Fishback circulates memes, allegations of arson against himself, and viral video confrontations with Donalds’ events ([33:39-34:16]).
• Fishback uses outlandish policy proposals, e.g., a 50% tax on OnlyFans creators, to get attention ([31:19]).
• Alleged arson at Fishback’s home is suspected to be fabricated—no police investigation, limited evidence ([34:16-35:12]).
• Fishback’s entire campaign appears more about social media drama, with financial desperation driving his chaos.

Notable Quotes:

• "He's a talented Mr. Ripley type and a charlatan in many fields." – Will Sommer ([27:26])
• "Byron Donalds is like, you're not a real griper. You're no racist. And I'm thinking to myself, if anyone said that about me, I'd be like, thank you." – Sam Stein ([28:25])
• "He has these college events…hundreds of disaffected young men…People liked him because he comes up with novelty laws. Not that the ideas are good, but it's good tactics." – Will Sommer ([30:29-31:19])

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [03:24] Kash Patel’s Olympic Trip Introduction & Controversy
• [05:06] Cost/Justification of Trip, Pretextual “Official” Duties
• [07:21-09:32] Locker Room Viral Videos, Beer-Chugging, Trump Call
• [14:26-15:51] Patel’s Past Hypocrisy on Jet Use
• [16:14-23:21] Tucker Carlson/Mike Huckabee Israel Incident
  • [18:37] Greater Israel gaffe
  • [19:24] Epstein accusation
• [26:00] Florida Governor’s Race: James Fishback vs. Byron Donalds
• [31:19] Fishback’s “novelty law” tactics
• [33:39-35:12] Fishback’s arson allegations and campaign duplicity
• [36:02] Predictions on Patel, Florida race outlook

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Beer-Chugging Bro FBI Director:
  "Bro thinks he's on the team...You can't have the FBI director chugging beers and jumping around like this." — Will Sommer ([07:21], [08:27])

• Patel’s Hypocrisy:
  "He was very critical of Chris Ray for using the government-funded jet for personal travel...now he does the exact same thing." — Sam Stein ([14:26])

• Israel Interview Disaster:
  "Mike Huckabee...said...he's ok with Greater Israel...Some Arab countries that would be encompassed in Greater Israel were not thrilled." — Will Sommer ([18:37])

• Florida Primary Bizarro:
  "He's a talented Mr. Ripley type and a charlatan in many fields...Fishback is not a guy who should be governor of Florida." — Will Sommer ([27:26])

Tone & Style

Warm, witty, a bit irreverent. Stein and Sommer riff off each other with in-jokes, exasperation, and sharp (but not overwrought) satire of the political right’s absurdities. They don’t shy from calling things “insane,” “absurd,” or “crazy,” and highlight the meta-media spectacle around these stories.

Conclusion & Wrap-Up

The first “MAGA Mondays” sets the tone for the segment: a smart, sardonic look at the weekend’s MAGA hijinks. The Kash Patel scandal is a microcosm of contemporary government/media spectacle—hypocrisy meets bro excess, with taxpayer funds footing the bill. Fishback’s campaign serves up another example of right-wing media feedback loops, while the Tucker/Huckabee episode shows just how quickly even international diplomacy can spiral into meme-worthy farce.

Stein and Sommer promise more weekly dives into MAGAland’s wild weekends, reminding listeners:
“Will basically ignores his wife and kids and stays on the Internet for hours to get the best stuff...Training future false flag interns.” ([38:10-38:17])

[End of summary]