FBI Director Kash Patel received backlash after new reports claimed he arranged for his country singer girlfriend of three years to receive high-level security, prompting concerns among agents over possible delays in law enforcement responding to crises.
“There is no legitimate justification for this,” former FBI senior agent Christopher O’Leary and MS Now contributor said in a report published Monday. “This is a clear abuse of position and misuse of government resources.”
Patel was scrutinized earlier this month for using a $60 million FBI jet to go see his girlfriend, 27-year-old Alexis Wilkins, perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” at an event in Pennsylvania.
At the time he defended his actions, stating Wilkins is “a rock-solid conservative and a country music sensation who has done more for this nation than most will in ten lifetimes.”
The country artist, who is also a right-wing political commentator, has been dating former podcaster Patel, 45, for three years. She’s also been at the center of baseless conspiracy theories suggesting she is an Israeli agent planted to keep files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein concealed.
Two sources familiar with Wilkins’ security arrangement told MS Now her security detail is made up of elite FBI agents usually assigned to a SWAT team in the Nashville field office.
The sources raised concerns the elite agents assigned to Wilkins’ security would be unable to respond or be delayed in responding to serious incidents such as mass shootings or terror attacks.
The FBI confirmed to MS Now that Wilkins receives a protective detail, though its statement did not get into specifics.
“Ms. Wilkins is receiving a protective detail because she has faced hundreds of credible death threats related to her relationship with Director Patel, whom she has been dating for three years,” the agency’s statement said.
O’Leary slammed Wilkins’ security arrangement, pointing out “she is not his spouse, does not live in the same house or even the same city.”