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Kash Patel and Alexis Wilkins relationship timeline: From Nashville meeting to saying ‘yes’
On October 4, 2026, FBI Director Kash Patel and Alexis Wilkins announced their engagement. Here's a timeline of their relationship.
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FBI Director Kash Patel and country singer Alexis Wilkins are engaged, marking the latest chapter in a relationship that began in Nashville before Patel became one of the most powerful law-enforcement officials in the US.
Wilkins, 27, announced the engagement on October 4, 2026, sharing a photograph with Patel, 46, and showing off her engagement ring. “Went and got the law involved,” she captioned the post. Patel later reposted it. The couple had been dating since before Patel became FBI director in 2025.
2022: Kash Patel and Alexis Wilkins meet in Nashville
Patel and Wilkins first met at a gathering in Nashville in 2022. Wilkins later described meeting Patel at a friend's event during a 2025 appearance on the Megyn Kelly Show.
Also read: Who is Alexis Wilkins? Meet Kash Patel’s country singer fiancée as couple announces engagement
The pair met at a conservative event in October 2022 and began dating in January 2023.
2023: Their friendship turns into a relationship
The two began dating in early 2023, according to multiple reports. People places their relationship at least as far back as 2023.
Wilkins was already building a career in country music and political commentary. Her debut EP, Grit, was released in April 2023.
February 2025: Wilkins appears at Patel's FBI swearing-in
Their relationship moved firmly into the public spotlight when Patel was sworn in as the FBI's ninth director in February 2025.
Wilkins attended the White House ceremony and stood beside Patel as Attorney General Pam Bondi administered the oath on the Bhagavad Gita.
The appearance effectively confirmed their relationship publicly as Patel began his tenure leading the FBI.
2025: FBI resources become part of the relationship controversy
Patel and Wilkins' relationship later became intertwined with scrutiny over the FBI director's use of government resources.
In October 2025, Patel faced criticism after reports that he had traveled on an FBI aircraft to Pennsylvania for a Real American Freestyle wrestling event where Wilkins performed the national anthem.
Also read: FBI Director Kash Patel gets engaged to longtime girlfriend Alexis Wilkins
The Wall Street Journal later reported that an FBI jet had taken Patel to State College for the event, where Wilkins was performing.
Patel defended the use of FBI aircraft, with the bureau saying he is required to travel on bureau aircraft for security reasons and that he reimburses the government for personal travel, according to the Associated Press.
Wilkins also received FBI security protection, drawing additional scrutiny. The SWAT personnel were involved in security for Wilkins at an NRA event in Atlanta.
October 2026: Patel and Wilkins announce their engagement
After more than three years together, Patel and Wilkins announced their engagement on October 4, 2026.
Wilkins shared the photograph on social media, displaying her ring as she stood next to Patel. Her caption said, “Went and got the law involved” referenced Patel's position as the country's top federal law-enforcement official. Patel subsequently re-posted the announcement.
The engagement caps a relationship that began with a meeting at a Nashville gathering in 2022, developed into a romance the following year and became increasingly public after Patel's appointment as FBI director.
