‘Got the law involved’: FBI chief Kash Patel gets engaged to longtime girlfriend Alexis Wilkins

FBI Director Kash Patel is engaged to country singer Alexis Wilkins. The couple announced it on X on Sunday, with the caption "Went and got the law involved."

3 min readOct 5, 2026 10:17 AM IST First published on: Oct 5, 2026 at 09:33 AM IST

Ms. Wilkins, 27, posted a black-and-white photo of herself standing with Mr. Patel, 46, flashing her hand in front of them to show off her ring. (Photo: AP/ X/@AlexisWilkins)

FBI Director Kash Patel is engaged to his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins. The couple announced it in a post on X on Sunday. Wilkins, 27, posted the news with a photo of herself next to 46-year-old Patel, and Patel shared her post on his own account.

The two met at a friend’s event in Nashville in 2022 and began dating in early 2023, according to a separate news report. Patel took over as the head of the FBI in 2025, and she was at his swearing-in on February 21 that year, the Associated Press (AP) said.

❤️💍

— Kash Patel (@Kash_Patel) October 4, 2026

Their relationship has drawn attention since Patel took charge of the bureau, navigating questions about his use of aircraft and lawsuits filed by Wilkins.

On Sunday, Wilkins shared a black-and-white photo of herself standing next to Patel. In the picture, both are smiling as she shows off her engagement ring. Her caption read, “Went and got the law involved.”

Patel shared her post on his own X account with heart and diamond ring emojis, according to the separate report.

Went and got the law involved 💍❤️ @Kash_Patel https://t.co/OjZmOOrVg7

— Alexis Wilkins (@AlexisWilkins) October 4, 2026

Last year on the “Megyn Kelly Show”, Wilkins spoke about their first meeting. Asked about their age gap, she brushed the question aside and said, “We just happened to meet.”

She said she liked him from the start because he is honest and is the same person at all times. She also praised his character and values.

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Last month she appeared at his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on FBI oversight on September 15, in what the report called a rare public appearance.

Who is Alexis Wilkins

Wilkins is a country singer and political commentator. She released her debut work in 2023, which a separate report names as the EP “Grit”. AP said she has been linked with conservative groups. The other report said she has hosted a show on Rumble and has served on the board of the National Rifle Association.

On her website, she describes her music as work that “honors country tradition while adding relevance and current commentary”, AP said.

Questions over FBI aircraft

AP reported that Patel has faced criticism for using government aircraft on trips with no known law enforcement purpose. This included an FBI jet flight to State College, Pennsylvania, for a pro-wrestling event where Wilkins sang the national anthem. Photos she posted afterwards showed the couple smiling as she held a large golden championship belt.

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Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have criticised Patel’s use of a private jet after reports said he used one to visit his girlfriend and attend sporting events. Patel has said he is legally barred from flying on commercial airlines. He told “The Katie Miller Podcast” in December that he and his partner pay for their own personal travel, as other Cabinet members and agency heads do.

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