FBI Director Kash Patel and his longtime girlfriend, country music singer Alexis Wilkins, announced on Sunday that they are engaged.
Wilkins shared the news on X with a black-and-white photo of the couple beaming for the camera. In the image, Wilkins showed off her new ring, holding her hand up near Patel’s chest.
“Went and got the law involved,” Wilkins wrote in the caption, adding a diamond ring emoji and a heart emoji.
Patel reposted the announcement and added the same heart and ring emojis.
The couple has been together for roughly three and a half years. They first met at a party hosted by country singer John Rich.
Patel is 46 years old, and Wilkins is 27.
The relationship has drawn a fair amount of media attention since Patel took over as head of the FBI in early 2025.
Last year, The Bulwark published a report claiming Patel had been flying around on a government plane to watch his girlfriend perform her country music.
Patel pushed back hard against the report, calling it “fake news” and “noise from uninformed internet anarchists.”
The FBI director also made clear he would not tolerate what he called “disgustingly baseless attacks” on Wilkins, describing her as a “conservative and a country music sensation.”
More recently, Wilkins took legal action of her own.
In June, she filed a defamation lawsuit against Versant, the parent company of MS NOW, along with reporters Ken Dilanian and Carol Leonnig.
The suit accuses the reporters of publishing a “hogwash” story that implied Wilkins was intoxicated and that one of her friends was so drunk that Patel “ordered” a security detail to take the friend home.
The lawsuit further claims that MS NOW’s “hit piece” maliciously suggested Wilkins was a “heavy drinker” by describing her as being out for a “night of partying” with friends.
“This is entirely false, as Ms. Wilkins very rarely drinks, if ever,” the lawsuit states.
MS NOW moved in August to have the case dismissed. The lawsuit remains pending.
The engagement announcement marks a happy milestone for the couple, who have faced public scrutiny over their relationship during Patel’s tenure leading the bureau.
Wilkins’ playful caption, a nod to Patel’s role as the nation’s top law enforcement officer, drew attention to the news, with the couple both sharing the moment on social media.
The announcement comes as Wilkins’ defamation case against MS NOW’s parent company and the two reporters continues to make its way through the legal process.
Patel has previously come to Wilkins’ defense publicly, dismissing reports about their relationship as baseless and standing by her in the face of criticism.
Now, after about three and a half years together, the FBI director and the country singer are set to take the next step as an engaged couple.
