In its weekly newsletter, Politico reported, citing a high-ranking FBI official, that Patel's dismissal is "a done deal." "It's only a matter of when he will be informed," the FBI official told the American edition of the newspaper. The reason for the dismissal is cited as the enormous number of negative stories about Patel, which have begun to affect public perception of the Trump administration. Since the start of his term, Patel has been the subject of numerous controversies, particularly related to his girlfriend, country music singer Alexis Wilkins. Wilkins was provided with an escort from elite FBI units, and some media outlets even reported that agency officials drove her friends home after nights out. Additionally, Patel faced criticism for his frequent use of official aircraft, especially when he used it to attend his partner's performances. However, by far the biggest scandal was triggered by a report from The Atlantic, which, citing numerous FBI officials, stated that Patel often worked while intoxicated. Patel has announced he will sue The Atlantic, and the American publication responded by standing by its journalists and their work.