FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, experienced an awkward on-stage glitch while performing the national anthem in Europe.
The mishap occurred Sunday during the U.S. Embassy in Belgium’s celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Held at the Parc du Cinquantenaire, the event drew high-profile attendees including U.S. Ambassador Bill White, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The program featured a towering five-tiered cake, a ceremonial flyover, fireworks and performances by the Zac Brown Band, a gospel choir and Wilkins.
After belting out a cover of “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” Wilkins took the stage in front of what appeared to be thousands of people for her rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” But she quickly encountered a “huge” technical issue: her microphone wasn’t working, Politico’s Gerardo Fortuna reported.
Footage shared by the reporter captures Wilkins singing on a large screen, though her voice cannot be heard from the crowd. She briefly appears to inspect her microphone before the camera cuts away from the singer.
“Maybe that’s the karaoke version,” someone standing behind Fortuna reportedly said.
Ambassador White later called Wilkins back on stage to try again, telling her, “This microphone works!” The second attempt appeared to go off without a hitch.
Wilkins, 27, also performed the national anthem at last week’s kickoff ceremony for President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair on the National Mall. Her appearance was announced after several artists—including Morris Day and The Commodores—withdrew from the event, some citing its political associations.
In the lead-up to the event, the Nashville-based singer pushed back on concerns that her performance could pose an ethics conflict due to her relationship with a prominent administration official.
“I have been a country music artist for years now,” she wrote on X. “I was invited to sing this anthem on my own accord, as I have been many other places throughout my career.”
She added that she was not being paid for the gig and insisted that it was not funded by taxpayers.
“I'm no longer accepting false narratives and total sham accusations that diminish my hard work and earned accomplishments,” Wilkins continued.
Freedom 250, the public-private partnership established by Trump that is organizing the fair, has received $80 million in public funding, according to NOTUS. Congress had previously created a bipartisan commission to oversee celebrations for the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Wilkins is no stranger to controversy. Last year, she raised eyebrows after MS NOW reported that her boyfriend, FBI Director Kash Patel, had assigned her an FBI SWAT team to serve as a security detail.
Wilkins is now suing the outlet, accusing it of “knowingly or recklessly” pushing “false allegations.”
Patel’s time in office has been marked by repeated controversies, from mass firings at the bureau to questions about his use of a government plane for personal travel. He has repeatedly dismissed concerns, emphasizing that he is complying with the law and that he remains focused on his duties.
The Independent has reached out to the U.S. Embassy in Belgium for comment.
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