(Ken Silva, Headline USA) FBI Director Kashyap Patel has been taking criticism online for using an FBI Gulfstream jet to fly around the country for personal reasons, including hockey games, UFC fights and visits to his girlfriend in Tennessee.
Patel is continuing to fly for private reasons amidst the government shutdown, traveling to see his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, at a wrestling match in Pennsylvania last week—drawing public ire as a result.
Shameless grifters. Flying around a private jet while federal employees can't get paid and families stand in food bank lines https://t.co/CNzrbLZas4
— avenger (@theavenger5_) October 27, 2025
In response to the backlash, Patel has fired Steven Palmer, a 27-year veteran who oversaw FBI aviation, according to a Saturday article from Bloomberg. Given that Patel’s trips are publicly documented, it’s unclear why Palmer took the blame, Bloomberg added, citing three people familiar with the matter.
“Palmer was told he needed to immediately resign or be fired, which the individuals said was at least partially connected to Patel’s fury over the negative media cycle on his personal travel,” Bloomberg reported.
“The people familiar with the matter said they were baffled as to why Patel might’ve blamed Palmer for the travel details.”
Patel has also moved to prevent FBI jets from being tracked by websites such as FlightAware, according to former agent Kyle Seraphin.
FBI spokesman Ben Williamson attempted to downplay his boss’s use of the FBI jet, posting on Twitter/X that Patel is forced to use a government plane even when flying for personal reasons. Williamson also said Patel pays a reimbursement in advance for his flights, as per government rules.
However, Patel is only required to pay the equivalent of commercial fare for his flights. The cost of operating FBI jets is exponentially more than that. For example, a Government Accountability Office report found in 2013 that then-Attorney General Eric Holder paid $420.90 for a flight that cost the taxpayers $15,894.
What's "disingenuous and dumb" is saying that Kashyap pays reimbursement for his flights when he only has to pay commercial fare. The FBI jet costs exponentially more than that. https://t.co/5UGrtvMnih pic.twitter.com/qa8EMQhEzo
— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) November 2, 2025
Republicans, including Sen. Chuck Grassley, frequently railed against former FBI Director Chris Wray’s use of the FBI jet, but have been silent on Patel’s use.
Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
