Justice Department Reportedly Investigating Former Noem Aide Corey Lewandowski

The Justice Department is investigating Corey Lewandowski, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump who served as a top aide to former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to CBS News, ABC News and Fox News. Each outlet cited sources familiar with the matter. Lewandowski has not been charged with a crime and denies any wrongdoing.

The probe follows a referral from the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general, the outlets reported. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the investigation.

What investigators are reportedly examining

CBS News reported that the Justice Department is looking into allegations that Lewandowski used his position at DHS for financial gain. One of its sources said the allegations of personal profit are tied to contracts put in place while Noem led the department.

ABC News described the scope somewhat more broadly. It reported that prosecutors are examining DHS contracting activities during the first year of the second Trump administration, with Lewandowski among those drawing scrutiny. According to ABC, the investigation is at an early stage and followed a referral about Lewandowski's conduct from DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari. Fox News described the referral as a criminal one and called it a legal escalation for Lewandowski.

The Justice Department declined to comment, according to both CBS and ABC.

Lewandowski's response

Lewandowski's attorney, Adam Trigg, said in a statement to CBS and ABC that his client has not been contacted by the Justice Department about any investigation. Trigg said Lewandowski denies wrongdoing and described his service at the department as voluntary.

Fox News reported that Lewandowski, after the Wall Street Journal's initial report, wrote on X that the story was another example of politically driven reporting that relies on anonymous sources. He said he was proud of his volunteer work advancing the administration's agenda and was confident the facts would ultimately speak for themselves.

Who Lewandowski is

Lewandowski has been in Trump's orbit for years. He was Trump's first campaign manager in the 2016 race, and Fox News reported that Trump fired him that June. He later returned to the president's side as a senior adviser on the 2020 and 2024 campaigns, according to Fox.

At DHS, ABC reported, he served as a special government employee and effectively acted as Noem's chief of staff while the department faced scrutiny over spending on costly government contracts. CBS News reported that Noem and Lewandowski were both ousted from the department in March. ABC said that came after a congressional hearing in which Noem claimed Trump knew of her decision to launch a $220 million digital ad campaign featuring her prominently. According to ABC, both have repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

What Trump said

Asked about the matter by reporters on Thursday, Trump said he had only just heard about it and, according to CBS, had not been briefed by Attorney General Todd Blanche. Trump said he wants his people to be honest and that anyone who is not should be prosecuted. He said he sees dishonesty as harmful to the country and to himself, calling it stealing from him as president.

Fox News reported that Trump added he would have his Justice Department do what it needs to do if people on his staff are not honest. "I want my people to be honest," he said. ABC News noted that Trump said he did not know the specifics of the investigation, and called the probe a rare instance of his Justice Department examining the conduct of one of the president's allies.

Why it matters: federal contracts and who approves them

The reported inquiry centers on how a major federal department handled contracts and spending, and on whether a senior adviser benefited personally. No charges have been filed, and the details of the allegations have not been made public beyond what anonymous sources described to the news outlets.

CBS News also reported that, before Noem and Lewandowski left, some senior DHS officials privately complained about what they saw as micromanagement of contracts and operational decisions. Noem had required her personal written approval for contracts, grants and funding obligations above $100,000. She intended to tighten oversight, CBS reported, but some officials said the policy created significant backlogs for funding they considered essential, including disaster relief.

The investigation is still in its early stages, according to ABC News, and it is not clear what the Justice Department will conclude. CBS News said it had reached out to DHS for comment.

Around Prague, based on reporting by CBS News, Fox News, ABC News