FBI Director Kash Patel is facing strong criticism for repeatedly using state resources to protect his girlfriend and serve personal trips.
FBI Director Kash Patel is facing a wave of criticism after it was revealed that he used taxpayer resources to protect his girlfriend, according to a report by the New York Times on November 24.
The incident attracted attention in April when Alexis Wilkins, 27, Patel’s girlfriend and a country singer, performed the national anthem at the National Rifle Association’s annual convention in Atlanta.
At the behest of the FBI Director, SWAT teams from the local office were dispatched to protect her.
However, after assessing the situation and finding that the event had adequate security, the agents left before the program ended. This decision angered Mr. Patel, who harshly criticized the team commander for “abandoning” his girlfriend and failing to report on work.
This is not an isolated case. According to the New York Times, the FBI Director’s girlfriend has been protected by SWAT teams in various locations, including Nashville, where she lives.
In late September, tactical agents in Salt Lake City were also urgently summoned from the scene of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a longtime ally of former President Trump, to protect Ms. Wilkins at a political event.
In May, she was also met at London airport by the FBI Director’s security team and used a US Embassy vehicle to meet Mr. Patel at a secret national security conference.
The issue becomes more serious when considering the nature of the SWAT team’s work. This force specializes in dangerous missions such as hostage rescue and high-risk arrest warrant execution, not specialized training in VIP protection.
Current and former FBI officials said the use of a SWAT team to protect the director’s girlfriend was “highly unusual” and unprofessional, especially when the decision was made arbitrarily and on very short notice.
In addition to the use of SWAT, Mr. Patel has also been criticized for using official aircraft for personal travel. Although the FBI director is allowed to use government aircraft for security reasons, the frequency and purpose of his flights have raised questions.
Notably, on October 25, Mr. Patel flew on a government plane to Pennsylvania just to see Ms. Wilkins perform at a wrestling event. When images went viral and journalists verified the flight using publicly available data, he fired a senior FBI official for failing to conceal the plane’s registration number.
The cost of operating a government Gulfstream is up to $15,000 per takeoff, while the director is reimbursed only with commercial fares – often just a few hundred dollars.
An FBI spokesman said Patel has taken about 12 private flights since taking office in February, a number that is similar to the total number of private flights taken by Robert Mueller in his four years in office.
Controversially, Patel has been a vocal critic of his predecessor, Christopher Wray, for using official aircraft. In a 2023 interview, he said: “There’s no need to use the government-funded G5 for vacations. Maybe you should just ground it, because it costs $15,000 to fly.” However, after taking office, he has not kept this commitment, but has increased his use and limited the disclosure of information about his flights.
Criticism has come not only from the opposition but also from Patel’s own supporters. Grace Chong, an influential figure who worked for Stephen Bannon, an ally of former President Trump, asked on social media X: “Is she considered Kash’s wife? If not, why are we paying for this?” Former FBI agent Kyle Seraphin also accused Mr. Patel of misusing public assets.
Christopher O’Leary, a former senior FBI agent, commented: “The misuse of private jets for personal trips and the assignment of SWAT agents to protect his girlfriend shows a lack of leadership experience, judgment, and humility.” Former officials also raised legal concerns, especially whether SWAT members would be legally protected if an incident occurred.
The FBI defended through spokesman Ben Williamson, asserting that Ms. Wilkins had received hundreds of credible death threats, so protection was necessary.
Mr. Williamson also stressed that Mr. Patel’s travel expenses were comparable to those of previous directors and complied with “ethical guidelines,” but declined to provide specific details.
Last week, Ms. Wilkins posted images of threatening messages on social media, dating back to February 22, 2025, shortly after Mr. Patel’s inauguration.
Ms. Wilkins, a patriotic country singer and gun rights activist, has a much more prominent public image than the spouses of previous FBI directors. She and Mr. Patel, 45, have dated for about three years. Mr. Patel is the first unmarried FBI director since J. Edgar Hoover, so the rules protecting a director’s spouse do not apply fully.
The problem is compounded by a proposed budget cut of about $500 million, which Mr. Patel himself has supported in the Senate.
The use of public resources for personal gain at a time when the agency is on a budget has raised questions about the FBI director’s priorities and responsibilities. Many have argued that while Ms. Wilkins faced a real threat, using a SWAT team to protect her at a public event was excessive and inconsistent with normal practice.
