FBI Director Kash Patel is facing scrutiny after reports that SWAT agents and other government resources were used to protect his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins.
There was “no legitimate justification for this,” former senior agent Christopher O'Leary told MS NOW, adding that Wilkins was “not his spouse, does not live in the same house or even the same city.”
“[Kash Patel]'s abusive and excessive use of the GV Jet for his personal adventures and the assignment of SWAT-qualified special agents to guard his girlfriend are indicative of his lack of leadership experience, judgment and humility,” he told The NY Times.
The most high-profile incident occurred at the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Atlanta, where Wilkins sang the national anthem. She arrived with two FBI SWAT agents from the local field office sent on Patel's orders. These agents are elite personnel typically deployed for hostage rescues and other high-risk missions.
After seeing the venue was secure and Wilkins wasn't in danger, the agents reportedly left early. Patel was reportedly furious, berating the team's commander for leaving her without protection and for what he saw as poor communication. He believed Wilkins, a prominent conservative figure, could still be targeted by people who had threatened her online.
In late September, after long shifts responding to the killing of conservative figure Charlie Kirk in Utah, SWAT agents from the Salt Lake City field office were recalled and reassigned to protect Wilkins at a political event over fears she could also be targeted.
Patel's spokesman, Ben Williamson, defended the bureau's decisions. “Ms. Wilkins is receiving a protective detail because she has faced hundreds of credible death threats related to her relationship with Director Patel,” he said. He disputed the assessment that Wilkins was safe during the NRA event, calling some criticisms “bad faith.”
“Out of respect for her safety, we will not be providing additional details,” the FBI said in a statement to MS NOW.
Earlier, Wilkins posted screenshots of threats, including messages telling her to “take a bullet” or harm herself. One threat was time-stamped February 22, 2025, the day after Patel was sworn in.
Patel, who is required to use government aircraft for secure communications, has also used the FBI jet for personal travel, including visits to Wilkins and leisure trips.
In October, Patel used the jet to fly to State College, Pennsylvania, where Wilkins performed the national anthem at a Penn State wrestling event. The trip was taken during a government shutdown. Conservative commentator Kyle Seraphin accused him of using the aircraft to “hang out with his ‘chick.'”
Patel responded on X, calling attacks on Wilkins “disgustingly baseless” and describing her as “a true patriot and the woman I'm proud to call my partner in life.”
Wilkins also sued former Utah Senate candidate Samuel Parker and conservative podcaster Elijah Schaffer for calling her an “Israeli spy.”
