Well, someone had a bit of a krash out.

On Wednesday’s episode of Sean Hannity’s Fox News show, FBI Director Kash Patel was asked about a New York Times article published earlier Wednesday that alleged that the FBI investigated one of its journalists after she wrote an unflattering piece about Patel’s country-singer girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins.

Hannity told Patel on Wednesday that the Times’ allegations don’t sound like something he would do.

“I’m reading that they’re going after you, that you used the FBI because you didn’t like a story about your girlfriend,” Hannity said to Patel on Wednesday. “And is there any truth to that? Because I’ve known you a long time. It just doesn’t sound like you.”

“Absolutely not,” a heated Patel said in response. “The reality is — and thanks, Sean — is that the same reporter delivered a baseless story which caused a direct threat of life to my girlfriend.”

Patel continued, “And that’s not me saying that. This individual has been charged, arrested, and is in court. And he said, as a direct result of The New York Times reporting, he wanted to take a rifle and canoe my girlfriend’s face.”

“We are going to protect not only me and my loved ones, but every American that is threatened,” Patel said.

The former podcaster then moved on to attack the Times’ journalistic integrity, accusing the newspaper of serious monkey business.

“And the baseless New York Times came in over the top today and tried to delete that past reporting, refused to accept our comments, and refused to turn the attention to the actual court pleadings and the myriad of threats that have resulted to me and mine based on this baseless reporting,” Patel said.

“But here’s the thing,” he said as he got even more fired up. “Me and mine are like you and President Trump. We’re as tough as they come. We’re not going to stand down. We’re not going to take a knee on this one or anything.”

Patel concluded with deflection, lamenting that the media doesn’t report on all the good he’s done as FBI director, and that the press was more favorable to former President Joe Biden and his administration.

The piece in question was published in February by features writer Elizabeth Williamson titled, “Kash Patel’s Girlfriend Seeks Fame and Fortune, Escorted by an F.B.I. SWAT Team.”

In it, Williamson reported that despite Wilkins’ relatively low-level fame, she was “one of the best-protected country music singers in the United States” thanks to Patel’s use of government resources to provide his girlfriend with transportation and security. Some examples included FBI tactical agents ferrying Wilkins to a Nashville hair salon and “resort in Britain before a dinner at Windsor Castle,” and how two SUVs-worth of agents guarded Wilkins while she performed for “a few dozen young conservatives” in front of a senior center in Illinois.

In its piece published Wednesday, the Times was transparent about the emailed death threat Wilkins received after Williamson’s article was published, and cited an affidavit filed in a criminal prosecution of the alleged sender of the email, which said the sender was inspired to threaten Wilkins after reading Williamson’s report.

The FBI told the Times in its piece published Wednesday that “while investigators were concerned about how the aggressive reporting techniques crossed lines of stalking,” the bureau is not pursuing a case.

It added to the Times that it was “false” that the bureau had directly investigated Williamson, and that its inquiries were prompted by the threat Wilkins had received.

The Times piece published Wednesday hearkened back to President Donald Trump’s open contempt for the media, noting that the “scrutiny is an example of the Trump administration weighing whether to criminalize routine news gathering.”

Joseph Kahn, the executive editor of The Times, is quoted in the article saying that it’s “another attempt by this administration to prevent journalists from scrutinizing its actions.” Kahn added that the investigation was “alarming,” “wrong” and a “blatant violation” of the reporter’s First Amendment rights.

By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.