Writing About the FBI Director’s Girlfriend Now Warrants an FBI Investigation

For the second time this week—and perhaps the 827th time this year—Kash Patel is in the headlines to demonstrate what happens when you put an incompetent conspiracy-theory podcaster in charge of the FBI. 

On Wednesday, the New York Times revealed that after the outlet reported on Patel’s girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, in February, he’s since used the bureau—friendly reminder: the literal top federal law enforcement agency in the country—to try and pin a stalking charge on reporter Elizabeth Williamson. Because, apparently, the FBI’s latest target—among high-risk criminals and international terrorists—is the First Amendment! Neat. 

The February article revealed how Patel was using FBI agents and literal SWAT teams for his Wilkins, an aspiring country singer, and getting them to protect her and drive her around to gigs, engagements, and errands. (It also revealed that she’s not really from the South—but Massachusetts.) It was written—as are all things by journalists—with interviews, perspectives, and research, aka facts, aka the very thing the Trump administration hates.

This is the thing the founders were most afraid of. A government using its investigative power to punish the press for covering that government
and it happened last month. Quietly. We’re only finding out now because someone briefed the Times.

— Ms. Misanthrope 🇺🇸 (@lilmsmisanthrope.bsky.social) April 23, 2026 at 3:57 AM

According to a person familiar with the matter, the bureau’s investigation into Williamson began in March—and agents had to comb through various databases to find information on the journalist, specifically to see if she broke any kind of federal stalking laws while reporting. (Spoiler alert: she didn’t.) Williamson and the NYT were never told of this probe, and it was ultimately blocked by the Justice Department because it looked a whole lot like revenge. 

Wilkins never met Williamson; ahead of publication, they spoke in one off-the-record phone call and exchanged a few emails. 

Naturally, the FBI has a story to set the record even less straight, and ahead of the NYT report, a spokesperson said it was “false” to say the FBI ever investigated Williamson. Instead, they pointed to a death threat that Wilkins reportedly received around the same time the article was published. “Ms. Wilkins was interviewed by FBI agents in relation to a death threat,” the spokesperson said. “During this questioning, the agents inquired about the related reporting. While investigators were concerned about how the aggressive reporting techniques crossed lines of stalking, no further action regarding Williamson or the reporting was ever pursued by the F.B.I.” 

Speaking on Fox News, Patel doubled down and denied misusing the FBI, saying that while the original person who made the threat was arrested and charged, he blames the article for the crime. “This same reporter delivered a baseless story which caused a direct threat of life to my girlfriend,” he said. “We’re going to protect not only me and my loved ones, but every American that is threatened.” 

Earlier this week, Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the Atlantic for reporting that he drinks too much on the job, and called the accusations “meritless.”

But for now, it seems the FBI doesn’t plan to give the NYT the Atlantic treatment—nor take Williamson down for, er, doing her job. So, I guess, the Constitution lives to see at least one more day.

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