FBI Director Kash Patel traveled to Pennsylvania State University over the weekend to watch his girlfriend perform at a wrestling event, according to a recent report that cited flight records associated with a government-registered jet.
Patel, 45, appeared alongside his partner, country singer Alexis Wilkins, 26, at the Real American Freestyle event at the school, prompting some internet sleuths to inquire about how he got there. Wilkins posted pictures of her and Patel at the event.
A jet, registered to the Department of Justice, appeared to have taken a roughly 40-minute-long flight from the Manassas Regional Airport in Virginia to State College Regional Airport on October 25. Roughly two and a half hours later, the jet departed from State College for Nashville, where Wilkins lives. A passenger manifesto for the jet was not released.
Over the last few months, the FBI director has faced criticism from lawmakers for what they believe is overutilizing a government aircraft for personal reasons.
As FBI director, Patel is required to use a government aircraft for travel because he must have access to secure communications equipment. Directors are also required to reimburse the government for the use of the plane for personal reasons at the price of a commercial ticket.
But reports have pointed out that Patel often uses it to attend sporting events and supposedly visit Wilkins, leading to criticism about the amount of personal travel for the director.
The Independent has asked the FBI for comment.
Patel has defended his use of the jet, telling lawmakers that “Congress made it mandatory” for him to use the government plane for any travel.
Yet some have recalled that Patel also once criticized former FBI Director Christopher Wray for the same thing. In 2023, Patel said Wray’s “private jet that he pays for with taxpayer dollars to hop around the country” should be grounded.
It’s unclear how much Patel paid for the recent personal trip or others like it.
The FBI director could attend to business while also embarking on personal ventures, making the trips funded by taxpayers. Earlier this year, the New York Times reported that on three round-trip trips to Nashville, where Patel’s girlfriend lives, the FBI director visited local field offices and met with officials.
Publicly, it does not seem that Patel conducted official business at Penn State while attending Wilkins’ performance at the Real American Freestyle event, an unscripted wrestling promotion co-founded by the late professional wrestler Hulk Hogan.
