FBI Director Kash Patel’s Gift of Illegal 3D-Printed Guns to New Zealand Officials Raises Serious Questions
In a baffling breach of both New Zealand law and diplomatic prudence, FBI Director Kash Patel gifted illegal, operable 3D-printed guns to senior security officials—forcing their surrender and destruction. This incident exposes reckless disregard for legal boundaries and risks undermining international trust.
When the highest-ranking FBI official from the Trump administration visited New Zealand in July, he didn’t just open an office—he handed out plastic revolvers that violated the host country’s strict gun laws. FBI Director Kash Patel presented senior officials with inoperable yet modifiable 3D-printed pistols, modeled on the toy-inspired Maverick PG22 revolver popular among hobbyist weapon makers.
New Zealand law requires permits for pistols beyond standard firearm licenses, classifying even nonfunctional replicas as firearms if they can be made operable with minimal effort. Police and government leaders had no choice but to surrender these gifts for destruction once it became clear they were illegal to keep.
How Did Such a Diplomatic Misstep Happen?
This isn’t a matter of mere ignorance or innocent gesture. The gifts originated from one of America’s top security officials visiting an allied nation known for its tough stance on gun control following the tragic Christchurch mosque massacre. The FBI’s own experts in New Zealand confirmed that converting these revolvers into working firearms required nothing more than common tools—a battery drill and screws—and basic handyman skills.
Despite requests from police ballistics teams to retain one for testing, the weapons were destroyed under direct orders from police leadership, reflecting concern over their potential misuse or accidental malfunction. The very fact that these replica guns met the legal definition of firearms and posed safety risks was acknowledged openly by experts familiar with their design flaws.
A Threat to Sovereignty and Rule of Law?
This episode reflects a startling disregard for our closest ally’s legal framework and national sovereignty—values core to a true America First foreign policy. When high-level representatives dispense items banned by law without permission or proper vetting, it sends a troubling signal about respect for allies’ rules and shared security interests.
The refusal by New Zealand Police to release images of these weapons — citing potential harm to U.S.-New Zealand relations — only deepens concerns about transparency. If diplomatic gifts are illegal contraband, should we not expect accountability rather than secrecy?
This incident reveals how easily bureaucratic oversight—or worse, cavalier attitudes toward allied laws—can undermine both trust and effective cooperation on global security challenges.
How long will Washington allow such careless breaches to risk partnerships critical to American national security? And how can families back home trust our officials abroad when they flaunt basic rules meant to keep citizens safe?