Washington— FBI Director Kash Patel is facing intense backlash from MAGA supporters and conservative circles after reports surfaced that he used a government jet to attend his girlfriend Alexis Wilkins’s music performance in Pennsylvania. The controversy has ignited a heated debate within right-wing circles, with Patel’s defense on social media drawing even more criticism.
The uproar began when former FBI agent and conservative commentator Kyle Seraphin claimed on his podcast that Patel used a USD 60 million FBI aircraft to attend Wilkins’s country music performance at a wrestling event at Penn State University on October 25. The alleged use of the jet during an ongoing government shutdown further fueled outrage among critics.
In response, the FBI stated that Patel is required to travel on Bureau aircraft for security reasons, even during personal trips, and that he reimburses the government in advance for such journeys. “Director Patel’s use of Bureau aircraft is limited and fully compliant with agency policy,” an FBI spokesperson clarified.
Patel himself took to X (formerly Twitter) to denounce the accusations, calling them “disgustingly baseless.” He wrote, “We will not be distracted by baseless rumors or noise from uninformed internet anarchists and fake news. Criticize me all you want, but going after my personal life or those around me is a total disgrace.”
Defending his girlfriend, Patel added, “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’s a rock-solid conservative and a country music sensation who’s done more for this nation than most will in ten lifetimes.”
However, a Community Note under Patel’s post on X pointed out that “people are largely not attacking Kash Patel’s significant other, but rather reacting to his firing of people who pointed out his usage of government funds to travel to her shows.”
The controversy has sharply divided conservative circles. Commentator Candace Owens wrote, “I don’t care about Alexis one way or another, but the head of the FBI tweeting in defense of his girlfriend? Not a wife but a girlfriend? We are just not a serious nation.”
Other right-wing users expressed disappointment, calling the optics of the situation “embarrassing.” One user replied, “Kash, you’ve lost credibility. It’s going to be hard to earn back our trust.” Another added, “Aren’t you the FBI Director? This is beneath your office.”
Meanwhile, Alexis Wilkins has reportedly filed a $5 million defamation lawsuit against Seraphin over his claims. The FBI has dismissed the controversy, with spokesman Ben Williamson labeling the media coverage “disingenuous and dumb,” asserting that Patel’s travel arrangements were “entirely within agency protocol.”
