Full Breakdown
FBI Director’s Girlfriend Sues MS NOW Over Defamation Claim
6/3/2026, 1:25:34 AM
Lawsuit Overview
On May 28 2026, Alexis Wilkins, a 27-year-old country-music singer and girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel, filed a 16-page defamation suit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee (Nashville). The complaint names MS NOW, its parent Versant, and reporters Ken Dilanian and Carol Leonnig as defendants. Wilkins alleges the outlet’s December 5 2025 story falsely claimed Patel ordered a federal security detail to escort an “intoxicated” friend of Wilkins home after a night of partying, thereby portraying her as a heavy drinker and misusing FBI resources.
Background and Context
Patel’s relationship with Wilkins has drawn congressional and media scrutiny after reports that he used a bureau Gulfstream jet for a country-music concert and assigned a SWAT-team security detail to Wilkins—an unprecedented move for an FBI director’s partner. In late 2025, MS NOW published the contested article, citing three anonymous sources who said Patel “insisted” agents divert from their duties to drive the friend home. The story appeared amid broader coverage of Patel’s alleged drinking habits and questions about his overseas travel.
Key Parties
- Alexis Wilkins – plaintiff, singer-songwriter, asserts she does not drink and never requested such assistance.
- Kash Patel – FBI Director, alleged to have ordered the escort; denied the allegation.
- MS NOW – cable news network owned by Versant Media Group; defended its reporting.
- Ken Dilanian & Carol Leonnig – journalists credited with the December story.
- Ben Williamson – FBI spokesperson who called the report “made up and did not happen.”
- Judge Eli Richardson – Trump-appointed judge assigned to the case.
Legal Claims and Demands
Wilkins asserts claims of defamation and false-light invasion of privacy, seeking compensatory, special, and punitive damages exceeding $75,000, plus any further relief the court deems just. The suit contends the article fabricated a security detail that did not exist at the time of the alleged incident and misrepresented Wilkins as intoxicated, causing humiliation and reputational harm.
Official Statements & Responses
The FBI, through spokesperson Ben Williamson, categorically denied the allegations, labeling the story “made up and did not happen.” MS NOW President Rebecca Kutler issued a standard response: “We stand firmly behind MS NOW’s reporting. As a general matter of practice, we don’t comment on ongoing legal matters.” Wilkins’ attorneys—Kurt Beasley, Jason Greaves, and Jared Roberts—emphasized that the portrayal was “highly offensive” and contrary to her sober lifestyle.
Criticism & Opposition
The complaint characterizes the MS NOW piece as a “hit-piece” designed to attack Patel by using Wilkins as a vehicle. The Daily Beast notes that partners of FBI directors rarely receive personal security details, implying Patel’s actions may have crossed normative boundaries. Critics argue the lawsuit reflects a broader pattern of attempts to silence media scrutiny of high-level officials.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources disagree on whether Wilkins had a security detail in spring 2025—the lawsuit claims none existed, while the MS NOW article asserts Patel ordered agents at that time. The article’s timeline places the alleged escort in spring 2025, yet MS NOW previously reported the detail’s creation in November 2025. Additionally, the outlet implied Wilkins was drinking, whereas Wilkins’ lawyers and the FBI spokesperson assert she does not consume alcohol.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Journalists cannot avoid accountability by hiding behind fabricated ‘anonymous’ sources. This lawsuit seeks to bring accountability for Defendants’ egregious lies.” — Alexis Wilkins’ lawsuit
- “falsely asserted that Ms. Wilkins demanded, and Director Patel ordered, that federal agents assigned to her security detail—which did not even exist at the time—escort an intoxicated friend home after a ‘night of partying.’ They falsely portrayed Ms. Wilkins as being intoxicated even knowing that she does not drink,” — Attorneys’ filing
- “Ms. Wilkins neither requested, nor did Director Patel order (much less yell at), any federal agent to escort any of Ms. Wilkins’ friends home (intoxicated or otherwise),” — Complaint
- “we stand firmly behind MS NOW’s reporting. As a general matter of practice, we don’t comment on ongoing legal matters.” — Rebecca Kutler, MS NOW President
- “This is entirely false, as Ms. Wilkins very rarely drinks, if ever,” — Lawsuit
- “this is made up and did not happen.” — FBI spokesperson
What’s Next
The case is set for a jury trial in Nashville, with Judge Eli Richardson presiding. Parallel litigation includes Patel’s $250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic over separate drinking allegations. Outcomes may influence how media outlets handle anonymous sourcing and the permissible scope of security protections for officials’ family members.
