'I Could Abuse It More': Kash Patel Justifies Taxpayer-Funded Trips to Girlfriend's Shows With Government Aircraft

FBI Director Kash Patel has found himself at the centre of yet another controversy after defending his use of a £45 million ($60 million) government jet to visit his girlfriend. During a recent appearance on The Katie Miller Podcast, Patel argued that he only attends roughly 15 per cent of his partner's performances—implying he could be doing far worse.

'And if I was actually abusing it, I would go see every one of her shows. I think I get to like 15 per cent,' Patel stated. The comment immediately went viral, with taxpayers pointing out that any use of government resources for personal reasons—whether it's 1 per cent or 100 per cent—constitutes misuse.

Taxpayers Are Not Impressed

The backlash intensified after a TikTok video from @nowthisimpact went viral, accumulating more than 2,400 comments from users who weren't buying Patel's defence.

'I could abuse it more' is a hilarious defence. Another pointed out the obvious: '15 per cent is still abusing it, 1 per cent is abusing it.'

Others noted that Patel's defence completely misses the point. 'It's supposed to be 0 per cent dude. You're the head of the FBI', wrote one commenter, whilst another added: 'You shouldn't need government capabilities and tax dollars to see YOUR GIRLFRIEND PERFORM.'

The criticism extended beyond casual social media users. 'I'm not allowed to use the company car or credit card for personal things. How is this appropriate?' one person asked, highlighting the double standard between what ordinary workers can do and what Patel apparently believes he's entitled to as FBI director.

Patel has come under fire for repeatedly using the government jet to visit his 27-year-old girlfriend Alexis Wilkins, a country music singer based in Nashville. Flight logs show the FBI's Gulfstream G550 has made multiple trips between Washington and Nashville, as well as to other locations where Wilkins has performed.

The Hypocrisy That Makes It Worse

Critics are pointing out Patel's own past statements on the same issue. In late 2024, whilst appearing on The Glenn Beck Podcast, he slammed then-FBI Director Chris Wray for using government aircraft for personal travel.

'Chris Wray doesn't need a government-funded G-5 jet to go to vacation', Patel said. 'Maybe we ground that plane—$15,000 (£11,250) every time it takes off. Just a thought.'

The apparent hypocrisy has fuelled much of the anger, with many accusing Patel of developing a more flexible view of what constitutes appropriate use of government resources.

Meanwhile, the FBI has defended Patel's travel, with Assistant Director for Public Affairs Ben Williamson calling criticisms 'disingenuous and dumb'. The bureau notes that FBI directors are required to use government aircraft for security reasons.

However, regulations also mandate that directors must reimburse the government for the equivalent cost of a commercial ticket for personal trips.

A Pattern of Questionable Travel

Congressional Democrats have launched a formal investigation into Patel's travel records. They allege his trips extend beyond visiting his girlfriend in Nashville.

According to the probe, Patel has also used the aircraft for a golfing excursion in Scotland with friends and a visit to a luxury hunting retreat in Texas called 'Boondoggle Ranch'. He has also flown to UFC matches and NHL games.

The Bulwark reported that Patel took his first trip to Nashville just three days after being sworn in as FBI director. The jet then made multiple round-trip flights between Washington and Nashville in March alone, with four trips in a single month.

When the media began tracking his flights using publicly available data, Patel reportedly became furious. According to Bloomberg Law, he fired Steven Palmer, a 27-year FBI veteran who headed the bureau's Critical Incident Response Group and oversaw its aviation operations. Palmer became the third head of that unit to be pushed out during Patel's brief tenure.

Why It Matters Beyond One Person's Travel

The controversy comes at a particularly sensitive time. The US government has been in shutdown for over a month, with SNAP benefits for millions of Americans having expired and thousands of federal workers going without pay. Against that backdrop, Patel's insistence that he's entitled to use a $60 million jet for date nights hasn't gone down well.

Congressional Democrats, led by Representatives Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Jamie Raskin, have demanded that Patel produce records of all his flights and reimburse taxpayers for personal travel. 'Why should American taxpayers be footing the bill for private jets every time you decide to hang out with your golf buddies, see your girlfriend, or go to your "boondoggle" escape?' Raskin wrote in a letter to Patel.

The FBI director, for his part, remains defiant. But for the thousands of Americans, taxpayers should not be funding it. As one user put it simply: 'Not one tax dollar should be used at all.'