Man Shouts at FBI Director Kash Patel to Get the Epstein Files ‘Out There’ During Rushed Red Carpet Appearance

FBI Director Kash Patel was confronted about the still-unreleased Jeffrey Epstein documents during a red carpet moment over the weekend.

The Las Vegas–born bureau chief attended the Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday, Nov. 22, alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

During a hurried walk past photographers and reporters, an onlooker shouted at Patel to make public the records tied to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender and alleged sex trafficker who died in 2019.

“Epstein files, get ’em out there!” the person yelled as Patel and Noem moved along the carpet. Noem glanced toward the disruption and appeared to laugh after realizing what was said.

Although much of the criticism over the handling of Epstein’s case has focused on the Justice Department and Attorney General Pam Bondi, the FBI — led by Patel — has also come under pressure amid persistent demands for greater transparency.

Patel and Noem’s appearance at the F1 Grand Prix followed shortly after President Donald Trump signed a widely supported bill — passed 427–1 in the House and unanimously advanced in the Senate — to release remaining files related to Epstein’s crimes.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act directs the Justice Department to make public “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in DOJ’s possession that relate to the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein,” according to an official House summary.

Under the law, the Justice Department is not obligated to publish every detail connected to Epstein. Information that is classified, that could reveal victims’ identities, or that could interfere with an ongoing federal investigation can be kept from public view. However, the act specifies that information cannot be withheld or redacted “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”

Documents released under the act would encompass material tied to Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as flight logs, travel records, and references to “individuals named or referenced (including government officials)” linked to Epstein’s case, per the bill’s summary.

Trump signed the legislation on Nov. 19, after abruptly reversing his earlier position and urging House Republicans to support releasing the files. By the time he shifted his stance, the measure already appeared poised to pass with bipartisan backing.

The act gives the Justice Department 30 days from Trump’s signature to begin releasing the records. Speaking to reporters on Nov. 19, Bondi said she intends to meet that requirement.

“We will continue to follow the law, again, while protecting victims, but also providing maximum transparency,” she said.

As Patel faces questions about the FBI’s role in carrying out the Epstein Files Transparency Act, he is also under fire for alleged personal misuse of government resources — specifically, assigning members of an FBI SWAT team to serve as security for his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, and using a government plane for non-official trips.

The New York Times reported that resources have repeatedly been diverted from the SWAT team to protect Wilkins in recent months. The use of agents trained for high-risk operations in this way is highly atypical, the outlet noted, citing current and former FBI officials.

According to MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), which cited two people “with direct knowledge” of the matter, Wilkins’ protective detail is composed of elite agents typically based out of the FBI’s Nashville field office. The arrangement has prompted concerns that their reassignment could slow law enforcement response to emergencies in the region.

“This is a clear abuse of position and misuse of government resources,” former FBI agent Christopher O’Leary said on MS NOW, adding that Wilkins “is not his spouse” and “does not live in the same house or even the same city.” The couple met in Nashville but do not live together; Patel’s legal residence is in Las Vegas, and he frequently travels to Washington, D.C., for work, according to MS NOW.

In a statement to the network, the FBI defended the decision to provide Wilkins with protection.

“Ms. Wilkins is receiving a protective detail because she has faced hundreds of credible death threats related to her relationship with Director Patel, whom she has been dating for three years,” the agency said. “Out of respect for her safety, we will not be providing additional details.”

Criticism of Wilkins’ security detail followed earlier backlash over Patel’s use of a government-owned jet to visit her, despite his past condemnation of former FBI Director Christopher Wray’s use of government aircraft.

In October, Patel reportedly used a $60 million FBI jet to travel to State College, Pa., where Wilkins performed the national anthem at a wrestling event at Penn State University’s Bryce Jordan Center, according to The Daily Beast and The New Republic. The New York Times has also reported that he used a government jet for other leisure trips, including a golf outing to Scotland over the summer.

Patel addressed what he called “baseless rumors or the noise from uninformed internet anarchists and the fake news” in a post on X on Nov. 2, though he did not directly respond to the allegations about his plane usage.

In that same post, he also defended Wilkins, saying she has been the target of “disgustingly baseless attacks” and describing her as a “true patriot and the woman I’m proud to call my partner in life.”