FBI Director Kash Patel and Nashville-based singer Alexis Wilkins are engaged, the couple confirmed in separate social media posts on Oct. 4.
"Went and got the law involved," the 27-year-old Wilkins wrote in a social media post featuring herself and Patel.
Shortly after Wilkins' post, Patel reshared the news on his personal X account, reposting Wilkins' initial photo with a ring and a heart emoji in the caption.
Patel and Wilkins' engagement comes roughly seven months after the FBI director faced scrutiny for an extensive security detail assigned to his then-girlfriend in Nashville, including his use of FBI aircraft to visit her.
Condemned by former FBI officials, Patel dismissed the air travel accusations and defended the security detail. He claimed
Wilkins had received numerous credible threats because of her relationship with him.
Who is Alexis Wilkins and what are her ties to Nashville?
Wilkins and Patel met during an event at country singer John Rich's Nashville home in late 2022, the couple said in a December 2025 appearance on the "The Katie Miller Podcast."
The two later began a long-distance relationship, with Patel living in Las Vegas and Wilkins based in Nashville. At the time, Patel was the director of the Trump Media & Technology Group, according to ProPublica.
Graduating from Belmont University in 2020, Wilkins' career in country music began that same year when she released her debut single "Holdin' On." Her recent musical projects have primarily revolved around singing at conservative events.
Notable conservative events where Wilkins has performed include the National Religious Broadcasters Summit at Gaylord Opryland & Convention Center in February and the kickoff of the Donald Trump-backed Freedom 250 American State Fair on June 24.
Why did Kash Patel face scrutiny for FBI air travel and Wilkins' security detail?
According to the New York Times, the Patel-assigned security detail included tactical agents and rotating SWAT personnel who accompanied Wilkins on several personal errands and trips.
FBI agents reportedly accompanied Wilkins on a trip to a resort in the U.K., a hair salon appointment in Nashville and to an event where she sang for a group of young conservatives in Ronald Reagan's hometown in Illinois.
FBI spokesman Ben Williamson toldThe New York Times that the use of SWAT protection was warranted because of the "direct result of [Wilkins] relationship with Director Patel, she is facing more than a dozen active death threats."
Former senior executive of the FBI's counterterrorism division, Christopher O'Leary, strongly disagreed with Patel's use of FBI resources. "If you want to be a celebrity or a social media star, get your own security," he told The New York Times. "The inappropriateness of this cannot be overstated."
"She's been subject to multiple death threats, not just one," said Patel said on "The Katie Miller Podcast" that the Nashville singer has faced "multiple death threats, not just one," adding that she's not receiving "any different" treatment with regards to law enforcement.
"Career investigators make the calls," he said. "They do threat assessments, and they decide if and when she needs protection."
Patel also drew criticism for using FBI aircraft on trips connected to Wilkins, prompting questions about whether government resources should be used for personal travel, reported The Hill.
“It’s ironic that they’re saying, ‘Oh, you’re going on vacation or you’re going to see your girlfriend perform.’ And if I was actually abusing it, I would go see every one of her shows. I think I get to like 15%," Patel also said on the podcast.
Peter Burditt covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact him at PBurditt@nashvill.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville country singer Alexis Wilkins gets engaged to FBI Director Kash Patel
