American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel has recently been caught in a public controversy over allegations of misusing public resources to protect his girlfriend.

According to a report by The New York Times on the 23rd, Patel once ordered two FBI SWAT officers to provide security for his girlfriend, 27-year-old country singer Alexis Wilkins, which has drawn strong criticism from Democrats and oversight agencies.

The incident originated from the National Rifle Association's (NRA) annual convention this spring, held in Atlanta. Wilkins, a well-known conservative figure, was invited to perform the national anthem at the event. According to reports, she received multiple threatening messages online afterward. In response, Patel directly instructed two local FBI SWAT agents to go to the scene to protect Wilkins. These agents normally handle tasks such as building raids and hostage rescues.

After arriving, the two agents assessed the situation and found no real danger, then left early. However, this action angered Patel.

According to insiders, Patel later reprimanded the commander of the SWAT team, accusing him of failing to continuously protect his girlfriend and criticizing poor communication. More notably, the entire security operation was funded entirely by taxpayer money. This is not the first time Patel has faced scrutiny over the use of resources.

Patel (right) and his girlfriend Wilkins, Wilkins' social media platform

Officials and other individuals who spoke with The New York Times about the matter requested anonymity "because they fear retaliation."

Patel's spokesperson Ben Williamson refused to disclose details about Wilkins' travel and security arrangements, nor did he reveal the associated costs, but stated that everything done for her was due to the threats she faced. At the same time, Williamson also defended Patel's anger, disputing the SWAT team's conclusion that Wilkins was safe at the time.

Williamson said in a statement: "Wilkins was given close protection because her relationship with Director Patel triggered hundreds of credible death threats." He added, "Malicious criticisms of FBI travel will not stop the FBI from fulfilling our mission."

This security operation to protect his girlfriend was not the first time. According to The New York Times, in recent months, the SWAT team had frequently been mobilized to protect Wilkins, including in her residence in Nashville.

Wilkins also accompanied Patel on overseas visits. A former official familiar with the situation revealed that in May this year, she flew to London to meet Patel, who was attending a secret national security meeting in the countryside outside London. Patel's accompanying staff went to the airport to pick up Wilkins and used a U.S. embassy official car to take her to the hotel.

Previously, an FBI spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that since Patel became director in February, he has made about a dozen private trips. When his predecessor Christopher Ray used a private jet, Patel strongly criticized it, saying "each takeoff costs $15,000." Patel sharply called Ray a "government thug" and accused him of "wasting taxpayers' money while avoiding responsibility for the FBI's collapse during his tenure."

As a key figure in the Trump administration, Patel has been repeatedly accused of using bureau resources for personal purposes after becoming FBI director. For example, he not only provided additional security for himself and Wilkins, but also used government planes for leisure trips, including one to Scotland for golf. These actions have been criticized as misuse of public resources, especially at a time when the FBI is facing budget cuts and political pressure.

Last month, Patel also took a private jet to Pennsylvania State University to accompany Wilkins to a freestyle wrestling match, and then flew to Nashville where Wilkins was located. After the incident was exposed by the media, Patel was extremely angry and even fired the FBI official in charge of overseeing the aircraft fleet, Palmer.

Wilkins herself is a prominent conservative media personality who worked at Fox News Channel and has accumulated a large following on social media with her right-wing views. Her relationship with Patel has been a hot topic in Washington politics since it was disclosed last year. Patel, as a loyal ally of Trump, has held key positions in intelligence and judicial departments. His strong-willed style and criticism of the "deep state" have made him controversial. Democratic legislators have expressed strong dissatisfaction with this issue.

A member of a congressional oversight committee anonymously stated: "The FBI director should not treat elite SWAT teams as personal bodyguard services. It is not just a waste of resources, but also a signal of abuse of power."

At the beginning of this month, Patel also wrote a long article defending his actions, claiming that Wilkins is a true patriot who has suffered from disgusting, baseless attacks, which is extremely sad. "She is a staunch conservative and a talent in country music, and has done more for this country than most people could do in ten lifetimes," he said.

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