Kristi Noem news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
The Wall Street Journal reported Corey Lewandowski pitched Qatari and UAE officials on side deals.
The allegations center on a former aide to Kristi Noem who denies wrongdoing.
Background
Corey Lewandowski served at the Department of Homeland Security as a 'special government employee,' a status that allowed him to carry out private business, and was in a close personal relationship with then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Noem consolidated decision-making so that essentially all department spending over $100,000 fell under the secretary's purview, which officials said created a bottleneck and was widely seen as giving Lewandowski power over which companies received contracts. Lewandowski left DHS in March after Noem was fired amid backlash over her leadership, and now works as a consultant.
How it unfolded
- Sep 8, 2026The Wall Street Journal published a report alleging that Corey Lewandowski, while at DHS, approached senior Qatari officials with a proposal to hire him on the side to help with issues under the department's purview, such as visas, and made a similar offer to UAE representatives.
- Sep 8, 2026Lewandowski dismissed the report on social media, writing: 'The whole story is fiction.'
- Sep 9, 2026Esquire published a piece on Lewandowski's role as a special government employee controlling billions in government funds, and Yahoo published an article on the accusations against his DHS role.
Who’s saying what
- Reporting
- The Wall Street Journal alleged Lewandowski offered additional government services to foreign officials for financial gain and 'shaking down' contractors seeking federal contracts for his own 'kickbacks.'
- Party
- Corey Lewandowski dismissed the report on social media, writing 'The whole story is fiction,' and denies all the allegations.
- Sources
- Sources familiar with the pitch, cited by the WSJ, said some foreign officials were 'taken aback' by the alleged offer since they already had direct communications with top administration officials.
Still unverified
Lewandowski is described as the top Trump ally 'long rumored' to be having an affair with former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The alleged moneymaking efforts 'appeared to be' offers by Lewandowski to sell government services for personal gain, according to people familiar with his pitch. DHS investigators are reportedly considering a criminal referral to the Department of Justice, and House Democrats are gearing up for a similar investigation. A DHS inspector general investigation is looking into claims that Lewandowski might have had a hand in improperly doling out government contracts.