Kash Patel's girlfriend fires back at favoritism claims over Freedom 250 gig

Country music singer Alexis Wilkins is calling out critics who say her relationship with FBI Director Kash Patel is the reason she booked her latest gig.

The musician and political commentator, 27, is set to perform at the Great American State Fair's kickoff on Wednesday, June 24, in Washington, D.C. The event is part of President Donald Trump-backed Freedom 250 events celebrating the nation's milestone birthday.

After content creator Sara Higdon took to X to ask whether "having the FBI director's girlfriend is getting paid by taxpayers to perform" violates federal ethics law, Wilkins responded to "get a few things straight, because this is long overdue."

"I have been a country music artist for years now. I have had a successful career in both music and commentary/strategy. People don't get to negate that for clicks or headlines. I was invited to sing this anthem on my own accord, as I have been many other places throughout my career," she wrote.

Wilkins clarified that she did not accept payment to perform at the event and emphasized that the Freedom250 celebration is a fundraising arm that does not rely on taxpayer dollars. The White House has described it as a "public-private partnership."

"Neither UFC nor any National Mall celebrations are 'taxpayer funded' (you would think, as a journalist, this would be something she would know or at least look into)," she said of Higdon. "I'm no longer accepting false narratives and total sham accusations that diminish my hard work and earned accomplishments, so please expect this kind of response to continue."

She is also slated to perform at a Freedom 250 event in Brussels on June 28, where the Zac Brown Band will headline.

Who is Kash Patel's girlfriend Alexis Wilkins?

Wilkins is a musician, political writer and commentator who was born in Boston. She spent a large portion of her childhood living in London and Switzerland before moving to Arkansas.

A graduate of Nashville’s Belmont University, Wilkins has performed at several politically conservative events, including in February when she performed the national anthem at the National Religious Broadcasters summit in Nashville at a keynote event that also included Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Wilkins and Patel have dated since early 2023, according to People. In February 2025, she posted a photo on Instagram of her standing by Patel's side when he was sworn in as Trump's FBI director, writing, "looks like the USA is going to be okay. 🇺🇸 God bless the men and women in blue who serve this nation who will be making America safe again."

Patel faced scrutiny in February after The New York Times reported that Patel had provided unprecedented security for his girlfriend using FBI resources, including tactical agents and rotating SWAT teams. The outlet reported that FBI personnel accompanied Wilkins to a resort in the UK, a hair salon appointment in Nashville and to an event where she sang to young conservatives in Ronald Reagan's hometown, Dixon, Illinois.

"She's been subject to multiple death threats, not just one," Patel said on a Dec. 16 episode of The Katie Miller Podcast. "We're not going to treat Alexis any different under law enforcement purposes just because I'm the director of the FBI Career investigators make the calls, they call the balls and strikes, they do threat assessments, and they decide if and when she needs protection."

Contributing: Peter Burditt and Liam Adams, USA TODAY Network