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Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kash Patel under scrutiny for allegedly using FBI jet for sports events, personal travel
[Source] FBI Director Kash Patel, who was sworn into the role on Feb. 21, is facing scrutiny for allegedly using government aircraft to attend sporting events and visit his girlfriend. Flights in question Patel used Department of Justice aircraft for multiple high-profile appearances, including flying on Air Force One to Miami for a UFC event with President Donald Trump on April 12, according to The New York Times. He also attended two NHL games earlier this month: one in Washington on April 4 and another in Long Island on April 6. It's unclear whether Patel used government aircraft to watch these events, but a Boeing 757 owned by the DOJ landed at JFK Airport shortly before the April 6 game and departed soon after it ended. The Times also reported three round-trip flights on a DOJ-owned Gulfstream to Nashville, where Patel's girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, resides. While at least one Nashville trip included an official FBI business meeting with Tennessee senators and local law enforcement, the purpose of the others remains unclear. Trending on NextShark: Criticism FBI directors are required under executive branch policy to use government aircraft for all travel to maintain access to secure communications. When traveling for personal reasons, however, they must reimburse the government the equivalent price of a commercial ticket — significantly less than the actual cost of operating such high-end jets. The FBI has not commented on Patel's travel arrangements. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for an investigation into Patel's 'apparent misuse' of taxpayer money in a statement to CBS News. Christopher O'Leary, a former FBI senior counterterrorism official, also criticized Patel's use of the planes, calling it 'a bad leadership example.' Trending on NextShark: Controversial tenure Patel's approach marks a stark contrast to his predecessors, who typically worked with minimal publicity. Beyond his travel habits, Patel has made controversial personnel changes, including suspending analyst Brian Auten, whom he previously named as a 'deep state' actor in his book 'Government Gangsters.' In late February, Patel was quietly removed as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll appointed as his replacement. Despite these controversies, Patel recently celebrated the FBI's recent arrest of Harpreet Singh, an alleged Babbar Khalsa International operative who entered the U.S. illegally and is linked to multiple terror attacks in Punjab, India. 'Justice will be done,' Patel wrote on X. Trending on NextShark: The FBI has reportedly requested information about purchasing another jet for 'required-use executive travel,' even as Republican senators who once criticized similar travel by previous directors remain silent about Patel's usage. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jet-Set Kash Patel Took FBI Plane to NHL Game and GF's City
If the FBI offered frequent flier miles, Director Kash Patel would have plenty. Patel, 45, has been jet-setting around the United States since he was sworn in as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Feb. 21, including a trio of trips to Nashville—where his 26-year-old country musician girlfriend lives—and a flight to Long Island to catch an NHL game. The New York Times broke the story on those flights on Sunday, noting that Patel's position bars him from flying commercially because he requires around-the-clock access to secure communications equipment that is typically on government jets. Trump loyalist Patel has conducted no high-profile arrests of the president's adversaries—yet—as some hoped he would, but he has found the time to attend two NHL games to watch Alex Ovechkin tie Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal scoring record in Washington on April 4 and to break that record days later on Long Island, where Patel is from, on April 6. Flight records show that a Boeing 757 owned by the Department of Justice (DOJ) flew to John F. Kennedy International Airport on April 6, arriving shortly before a game between the New York Islands and Washington Capitals. The plane departed back to Washington, D.C., shortly after it ended. Records also show a trio of round-trip flights to Nashville on a DOJ-owned Gulfstream, the Times reported. That is where Patel's girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, lives. Patel reportedly conducted official business on at least one of those Nashville trips, visiting the local FBI office and meeting with Tennessee's Republican senators and local law enforcement. It is unclear what business was conducted during the FBI's other visits to the Volunteer State, however. Directors are required to reimburse the government for the use of planes, but only have to do so at the price of a commercial ticket, which is, of course, much less than the cost of operating a private jet. The Justice Department operates a small fleet of planes that are available for use by Patel as director, including two Gulfstreams and two Boeing 757s. That apparently is not enough for the Trump administration, however, as the FBI has recently issued a request for information about purchasing another jet for 'required-use executive travel.' Patel has been among the most visible FBI directors in its history. Opposed to working quietly behind the scenes, like his more recent predecessors, he has actively posted about the bureau's early wins and even got dolled up in a camouflage vest, gray windbreaker, his signature sunglasses, and a matching camo baseball hat for a photo op last month that he posted to X. Patel also flew to Miami to sit ringside with President Donald Trump at a UFC fight night on April 12.
