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FBI Director Kash Patel has slammed “baseless attacks” on his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins. Patel’s response follows backlash after it was reported that he had used a government jet to see his girlfriend perform at a Real American Freestyle wrestling event at Pennsylvania State University. Newsweek has contacted the FBI and a press representative for Wilkins outside of regular working hours via email for comment. Why It Matters The story that Patel had used a government jet to see Wilkins' performance was first reported by The Bulwark, and comes shortly after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called a newspaper report that claimed a private jet had been bought for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, "lies." Senior government officials are generally required to travel on government jets when deemed necessary for official business, and this includes Cabinet members. Usage of jets, though, can prompt criticism and, in this instance, comes as the government is in shutdown. This has raised questions about the usage of federal money at such a moment, when the daily activities of departments have stalled. What To Know Wilkins, 26, is a country music singer, podcast host, writer, and political commentator. Wilkins reportedly met Patel, 45, at a conservative ReAwaken America event in October of 2022, and they started dating in early 2023. Raised in Arkansas she is now based in Nashville. Her top songs on Spotify include Country Back, which has over 200,000 streams, and Quite Like Whiskey, which has over 400,000 streams. Wilkins has over 90,000 followers on Instagram, where she regularly shares political content and videos of her performing at conservative events, including ones organized by Turning Point USA. Patel’s response comes as he was reportedly angered by media stories about his taking the flight. In a post on X, he wrote, “I’ve always said — criticize me all you want. But going after the people doing great work, my personal life, or those around me is a total disgrace.” He continued, adding, “The disgustingly baseless attacks against Alexis — a true patriot and the woman I’m proud to call my partner in life — are beyond pathetic. She is a rock-solid conservative and a country music sensation who has done more for this nation than most will in ten lifetimes. I’m so blessed she’s in my life.” Patel does not specify in his post which "attacks" he is referring to but criticism has been directed both at Wilkins and at her relationship with the FBI chief online. A baseless rumor has circulated that alleges that Wilkins is a spy working for Mossad, Israel's national intelligence agency, and that her relationship with Patel is a "honeypot," operation. Wilkins is suing Kyle Seraphin, a former FBI agent, for defamation in connection with the allegation. The court filing reads, that "Seraphin has maliciously lied about Alexis Wilkins, falsely asserting that she—an American-born country singer—is an agent of a foreign government, assigned to manipulate and compromise the Director of the FBI." Beyond this, there has also been negative discourse online in response to the near 20-year age gap between the two, and some of the rhetoric about their relationship online is vulgar in nature. Following the reports about the government jet, Bloomberg Law reported that Patel fired top FBI official, Steven Palmer. Palmer, who had been working at the bureau since 1998, has been head of the FBI’s critical incident response, which is responsible for the handling of security threats and overseeing the agency’s fleet of jets. Bloomberg Law cited three unnamed sources who had shared shocked responses to the reported firing. Newsweek has not independently verified these reports. A community note has been added to Patel's post that reads: "People are largely not attacking Kash Patel's significant other, but rather reacting to his firing of people who point out his usage of government funds to travel to her shows." Patel’s flight schedules are public and available to track. The FBI has responded to scrutiny over the aircraft usage and said no rules were violated. The FBI’s Assistant Director for Public Affairs, Ben Williamson, wrote on X that the criticism of Patel’s travel is “disingenuous and dumb.” Wilkins shared images of her and Patel at the performance, which Patel shared to his account on X. What People Are Saying FBI Director Kash Patel, in a post on X: “Attacking her isn’t just wrong — it’s cowardly and jeopardizes our safety. My love of family will always be my cornerstone, and you will never tear that down or keep me from them. I and this FBI will stay laser-focused on our mission and continue the reform we promised — rebuilding this Bureau from the ground up.” FBI Assistant Director for Public Affairs Ben Williamson, in a post on X: “Kash himself has significantly limited personal travel - but he’s allowed to take personal time on occasion to see family, friends or his longtime girlfriend. He doesn’t do it often. He works far more full weekends than he does otherwise. And maybe most importantly - ask anyone who works for him, he’s on duty 24/7 regardless.” A post from the account @ML3democrats, a Democratic Activist on X viewed 1.6 million times: “Kash Patel (THE LEAST QUALIFIED FBI DIRECTOR IN HISTORY) was caught using a $60 million FBI Jet for a date night But we can’t afford SNAP.” A post from the account @GeneralMCNews, which posts news on social media, viewed 4.6 million times: “FBI Director Kash Patel has asked to halt public tracking of government-owned jet after reportedly using it last week to fly out and watch his girlfriend perform at a wrestling event.” A post from the account @OccupyDemocrats, a Democratic social media account, in a post on X viewed 1.4 million times: “Kash Patel gets caught red-handed "grifting off the American public" by abusing a $60 million FBI jet and taxpayer money for a wrestling date night with his much younger girlfriend.” What’s Next Wilkins herself has not responded to the backlash.
