Is This Why Kash Patel Said “I’ll see you in Valhalla”?

At a press conference on September 12, 2025, FBI Director Kash Patel delivered a tribute for Charlie Kirk, who had been shot and later died. Patel ended his remarks with the words: “To my friend Charlie Kirk, rest now, brother. We have the watch, and I’ll see you in Valhalla.”

The phrase “Valhalla” comes from Norse mythology — it’s a hall where warriors slain in battle are honored; it’s a symbolic afterlife reserved for fallen heroes.

People online reacted strongly and sometimes critically to Patel’s choice of words. Some said it was a heartfelt tribute, others said it was culturally odd (Kirk being Christian, Patel raised Hindu) or theologically mismatched. Some critics called it performative or inappropriate for an FBI director to invoke mythological imagery in this way.

Others defended his words, saying “Valhalla” has in recent years been used more broadly (outside Norse religion) as a kind of metaphorical or symbolic farewell among people referencing sacrifice or tribute, especially in American popular culture and memorial traditions.

So, in short: Kash Patel said “I’ll see you in Valhalla” as a tribute to Charlie Kirk, drawing on a mythic idea of honor after death. But the phrase stirred controversy because of its religious and cultural implications and because people questioned whether it was the right choice of words in that moment.