Report: Corey Lewandowski Allegedly Had Broad Access to DHS Secrets While Advising Kristi Noem

Corey Lewandowski, a longtime Trump adviser and a close aide to former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, is reported to have had unusually extensive access to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operations and classified briefings while serving in a limited special government employee role, multiple outlets say.

Cory Lewandowski and Kristi Noem have denied that their relationship is anything beyond professional. / Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

What Reporters Found

According to reporting in The New York Times and other outlets, more than 20 current and former administration officials said Lewandowski—who was hired by Noem as a special government employee limited to 130 days per year—participated in classified briefings, weighed in on major personnel decisions and influenced contract approvals. Colleagues and sources described him as having built a role that effectively gave him access to DHS resources and sensitive materials.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino stands with his masked agents in Minnesota. He has since been sidelined by the administration. / OCTAVIO JONES / AFP via Getty Images

Personnel and Operations

Sources say Lewandowski played a central role in promoting Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino and exercised substantial influence over ground operations and personnel matters. Bovino announced his departure from DHS this month after leading immigration enforcement efforts that, according to reports, coincided with high-profile incidents in Minneapolis in which federal agents were implicated in the deaths of two U.S. citizens.

Lewandowski, who was ousted as Trump’s 2016 campaign manager after allegedly assaulting a reporter, was brought back into the fold for Trump’s 2024 campaign. / Reba Saldanha/Reuters

Questions About Conduct And Potential Personal Gain

Additional reporting raises questions about whether Lewandowski sought personal financial benefit from his role. NBC News reported that during discussions with GEO Group— a private-prison company seeking to renew and expand government contracts—Lewandowski allegedly suggested he expected compensation in exchange for "protecting and growing" GEO's DHS business; GEO CEO George Zoley is reported to have declined. Sources described the request as a potential "success fee." Lewandowski has denied these accounts.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem rides a horse while filming an ad at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. / Tia Dufour/DHS

Denials: Lewandowski and his lawyer, Adam Trigg, have disputed the allegations. Trigg told The New York Times that claims about soliciting payments are not supported by "a single piece of evidence."

Other Reported Incidents

Reporting also alleges Lewandowski exercised day-to-day authority, placing employees on leave over minor matters and, in one widely reported instance, prompting the firing of a U.S. Coast Guard pilot after a blanket belonging to Noem was left on another plane. He is also under scrutiny for alleged personal ties to a $220 million anti-immigration ad campaign featuring Noem.

Political Fallout

Lewandowski's involvement reportedly generated bipartisan concern inside and outside the White House. Noem, who has faced public scrutiny over reports of a romantic relationship with Lewandowski, was pressed about the matter at a congressional hearing; she declined to confirm the reports and pushed back at critics, saying she would not be demeaned in that forum.

What’s next: The reports have prompted ethics and oversight questions. Lewandowski has denied wrongdoing; investigations or formal probes could follow depending on agency and congressional actions.