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7h ago

Patel Rebukes Critics as Reported Firing Tied to FBI Jet Trip Draws New Scrutiny

The FBI says his travel complied with required-use rules with reimbursement.

Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Kash Patel listens as U.S. President Donald Trump delivers an announcement on his Homeland Security Task Force in the State Dining Room of the White House on October 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced his administration’s task force has arrested over 3,000 cartel and foreign terrorist members.
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WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 21: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi swears in the new Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel as his girlfriend Alexis Wilkins holds the Bhagavad Gita in the Indian Treaty Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on February 21, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Overview

  • Bloomberg Law reported that Steven Palmer, a 27-year FBI veteran who oversaw aviation and CIRG, was forced out Friday following coverage of Director Kash Patel’s travel, making him the third CIRG head to exit under Patel.
  • Public flight data show FBI jet N708JH flew to State College, Pennsylvania, on October 25 as Alexis Wilkins performed, with subsequent legs to Nashville, and FlightAware later blocked public tracking of the aircraft at the owner’s request.
  • Newsweek highlighted additional tracking that showed a government jet flying from Mar-a-Lago to Nashville on Saturday, citing ADS-B Exchange data, without confirmation of passengers.
  • The FBI said directors are required-use travelers for security and stated Patel prepaid reimbursements for any personal travel, as Patel condemned attacks on Wilkins as “disgustingly baseless.”
  • Criticism has persisted online, including from conservative figures, with a community note on Patel’s X post and ongoing calls for records that could clarify passenger manifests and costs during a government shutdown.