Overview
- Public flight data showed an FBI‑registered jet flew to State College, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 25 and later to Nashville, aligning with Alexis Wilkins’ performance at a wrestling event.
- Patel posted a lengthy statement on X rejecting the allegations, calling attacks on Wilkins “disgustingly baseless” and vowing to stay focused on the bureau’s work.
- The FBI’s public affairs chief said directors are mandated to use government aircraft for security and that Patel reimburses for non‑official travel, which the bureau says complies with policy.
- Bloomberg Law reported that Steven Palmer, a 27‑year FBI veteran who oversaw aviation and the Critical Incident Response Group, was forced out on Friday following coverage of the flights.
- FlightAware later blocked public tracking of the FBI jet at the owner/operator’s request, though open‑source ADS‑B data continued to show recent movements, including a Mar‑a‑Lago to Nashville flight.