FBI Director Kash Patel presented inoperable 3D-printed pistols as gifts to senior officials in New Zealand during his visit in July 2023. This gesture has sparked controversy, as the pistols were illegal to possess under local gun laws and were subsequently destroyed by New Zealand authorities.
The gifts were part of a display stand given to at least three prominent figures in New Zealand’s security sector, including Richard Chambers, the Police Commissioner, as well as Andrew Hampton, the director-general of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS), and Andrew Clark, director-general of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB). The presentation coincided with the opening of the FBI’s first standalone office in Wellington.
New Zealand’s legislation tightly regulates the possession of firearms. To legally own a pistol, an individual must obtain an additional permit beyond a standard gun license. Local authorities did not clarify whether the officials who received the gifts held the necessary permits, but if they did not, they could not have legally retained the items.
The 3D-printed pistols were classified as potentially operable by New Zealand’s gun regulators, prompting a decision to destroy them. In a statement, Commissioner Chambers noted, “To ensure compliance with firearms laws, I instructed police to retain and destroy them.” The method used to render the weapons inoperable prior to gifting was not disclosed, but it typically involves disabling the firing mechanism.
The FBI declined to provide a comment on the situation when approached by The Associated Press. A spokesperson for the spy agencies described the gift as a “challenge coin display stand” that included the 3D-printed pistols as part of its design. Following the presentation, the officials sought guidance from the gun law regulator to ensure compliance with local regulations.
Despite the controversy, some experts have suggested that the gesture from Patel appeared to be well-intentioned. James Davidson, a former FBI agent and the current president of the FBI Integrity Project, described the gift as “a genuine gesture” but criticized the destruction as “an overreaction by the NZSIS,” suggesting that the replicas could have been rendered permanently inoperable without the need for destruction.
New Zealand has established stringent gun control measures in response to a tragic event in 2019, when 51 Muslim worshippers were killed during a mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch. The incident led to a nationwide review of gun laws, resulting in the prohibition of semi-automatic weapons and heightened restrictions on firearm ownership. Although 3D-printed weapons are viewed similarly to traditional firearms under New Zealand law, the country does not have a strong culture of gun ownership, and violent gun crime is rare.
The recent visit by Patel generated significant attention, especially as the establishment of the new FBI office had not been publicly disclosed until after its opening. The office is intended to align New Zealand with other Five Eyes intelligence-sharing nations, which include the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
During his time in Wellington, Patel met with various senior public servants and elected officials, including cabinet ministers. Notably, his remarks suggesting that the FBI’s presence in the region aimed to counter China’s influence in the South Pacific triggered diplomatic unease. New Zealand officials quickly countered, emphasizing that the FBI office was primarily focused on collaboration concerning child exploitation and drug smuggling.
The incident illustrates the complexities of international relations and domestic regulations, particularly regarding sensitive issues such as firearms. As New Zealand navigates its stringent gun laws while engaging with global partners, the implications of such gestures by foreign officials continue to attract scrutiny and debate.
