Overview
- Wilkins, the longtime girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel, sang the National Anthem at the Great American State Fair kickoff on Wednesday, June 24, as a billed “featured performer.”
- She publicly defended the booking on social media, saying she was invited on her own merits and would not accept payment while insisting the Freedom 250 events are run through fundraising rather than direct taxpayer payment.
- News reports have said Patel ordered rotating tactical agents and other FBI resources to protect Wilkins, with the bureau citing multiple credible death threats and sparking questions about the prudent use of federal personnel.
- The event’s lineup was sharply reduced after several higher-profile artists withdrew earlier in June, prompting President Trump to recast the National Mall program as a rally and rely on replacement performers and military ensembles.
- Coverage of the episode splits along political lines, with some outlets relaying Wilkins’ denials and fundraising claims and others highlighting the New York Times reporting on FBI security and NOTUS reporting about roughly $80 million tied to Freedom 250, leaving open policy and ethics questions to watch next.