FBI Director Gifted 3D‑Printed Pistols to New Zealand Officials
During a July 31 visit to Wellington to open the FBI’s first standalone office in New Zealand, FBI Director Kash Patel presented display stands that included 3D‑printed inoperable pistols to three senior New Zealand security chiefs. New Zealand police and intelligence agencies later sought regulator guidance; the replicas were judged potentially operable under New Zealand law and were surrendered and destroyed, prompting questions about permissions, diplomatic protocol and foreign‑law compliance by a senior U.S. official.
International
National security
🔍 Key Facts
- Gifts given July 31, 2025 in Wellington to Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, NZSIS director‑general Andrew Hampton and GCSB director‑general Andrew Clark
- New Zealand regulators judged the 3D‑printed pistols 'potentially operable' and the items were surrendered and destroyed
- Issue surfaced publicly in reporting on Sept. 30, 2025 and involves the FBI director while opening the bureau’s first standalone New Zealand office
📍 Contextual Background
- Under U.S. federal law, attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization is a criminal offense.
- As of 2025-09-29, the statutory maximum prison sentence for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization is 15 years.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executes search warrants at residences and family homes as part of criminal investigations.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigates incidents of targeted violence.
- Federal prosecutors commonly resolve federal criminal charges through plea agreements, which typically result in a sentence below the statutory maximum.