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By Marni Rose McFall
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Country singer Alexis Wilkins, who is FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend, has defended her career achievements after being booked to perform at the embattled Freedom 250 concert, saying she was "invited to sing this anthem on my own accord."
Wilkins hit back on Tuesday evening to an online critic who suggested her performing at the event violated federal ethics laws.
“I have been a country music artist for years now," Wilkins wrote on X. "I have had a successful career in both music and commentary/strategy. People don't get to negate that for clicks or headlines. I was invited to sing this anthem on my own accord, as I have been many other places throughout my career."
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Six of the nine original performers initially announced for the concert have withdrawn, including Martina McBride, The Commodores, Young MC and Bret Michaels. That has left a handful still scheduled: Vanilla Ice and Milli Vanilli are set to perform on June 26, with Flo Rida booked for July 2.
President Donald Trump last month suggested canceling the concert and replacing it with a “Make America Great Again” rally.
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Who Is Alexis Wilkins?
Wilkins is a country music singer, podcast host, writer and political commentator. Wilkins reportedly met Patel at a conservative ReAwaken America event in October of 2022, and they started dating in early 2023.
She has 5,863 monthly listeners on Spotify, and her top played song Love Me has been streamed over 500,000 times, while another song, Country Back, has been played over 300,000 times.
The 27-year-old Wilkins' relationship with the 46-year-old FBI director came under scrutiny last year after allegations that Patel used taxpayer funds to fly her on private planes and pay for her security.
Patel has repeatedly defended Wilkins, saying in 2025 that she is a “true patriot,” a “rock-solid conservative and a country music sensation who has done more for this nation than most will in ten lifetimes.”
Wilkins Responds To Backlash over Freedom 250 Concert
Wilkins confirmed on June 23 that she was set to perform at a Freedom 250 event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. “What a great honor to be a part of the 250th birthday of this great nation,” she wrote.
Sara Higdon, a reporter with The Post Millennial, wrote in a post on X after this announcement, “Does having the FBI director’s girlfriend getting paid by the taxpayers to perform violate federal ethics laws?”
Wilkins then hit back at Higdon directly. “I'm no longer accepting false narratives and total sham accusations that diminish my hard work and earned accomplishments, so please expect this kind of response to continue,” she wrote, adding that she was not getting paid for her performance.
When is the Freedom 250 Concert?
Freedom 250 is the official commemoration of America’s semi-quincentennial. It will encompass a number of nationwide celebrations, exhibitions, concerts, sporting events, parades, and historical initiatives coordinated by the White House.
Wilkins will perform at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on June 24.
Trump is set to deliver a keynote speech at the event, headlining the kickoff rally for the Great American State Fair.
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