Patel has defended himself, telling Fox & Friends: “Could I have worded it a little better in the heat of the moment? Sure. But do I regret putting it out? Absolutely not. I was telling the world what the FBI was doing as we were doing and I’m continuing to do that.”

But while the criticism of his job has been intense, it’s Patel’s relationship with Nashville country singer Alexis Wilkins, 26, that has also stolen the spotlight.

The couple’s 19-year age gap has become fodder for mockery online, with some even floating conspiracy theories about their romance.

Wilkins, who started dating Patel in January 2023 after meeting him at a friend’s house party, says she’s not bothered.

“There are a lot of people in this administration with age differences. There are a lot of people out there with age differences,” she told the Daily Mail.