Corey Lewandowski tried to cut side deals with foreign governments during his stint as a top aide to then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to a new report. Lewandowski, a special government employee, also wielded broad influence over lucrative federal contracts and helped place allies across the Department of Homeland Security, including one who was paid as much as $19,000 a week, The Wall Street Journal reported. The former campaign manager for Donald Trump essentially acted as a “shadow secretary” during Noem's tenure, traveling with her, sitting in on most department meetings and exercising substantial leverage over how vast department funds were allocated, the report says.
Lewandowski left DHS in March after Noem was fired amid backlash over her leadership. He now works as a consultant; among his clients is Bahrain. A DHS inspector general investigation is looking into claims that Lewandowski might have had a hand in improperly doling out government contracts.
He has denied any wrongdoing. What’s more amazing is after 5 months of working on a story, they don’t have ONE on the record source - Because the whole story is fiction.” When reached by the Journal, a spokesperson for Lewandowski also denied that he sought contracts with foreign governments, played any part in approving or reviewing DHS contracts or had been contacted about the inspector general’s investigation. According to the report, Lewandowski made an overture to high-ranking officials in Qatar about retaining him for outside work.
People familiar with the supposed outreach told the newspaper that Lewandowski said he could assist Qatar with matters within DHS’s remit, including visas. Lewandowski allegedly made a similar approach to representatives of the United Arab Emirates. Officials from both countries rebuffed the alleged proposals, according to people familiar with the matter, and some were reportedly confused about why they would need his services given their existing relationships with senior U.S. officials.
The alleged pitches came while Lewandowski held a sweeping portfolio at DHS. Noem’s decision to consolidate major spending authority under her office — with all spending over $100,000 requiring her sign-off — was widely viewed within the administration as giving Lewandowski substantial sway over which companies received DHS business. One reported episode involved Palantir, a software firm that had negotiated a proposed $2.7 billion blanket purchase agreement with DHS in the fall of 2025.
The deal, covering Secret Service and immigration work, remained unsigned for weeks, perplexing company officials, the Journal reported. Lewandowski then sought a one-on-one meeting with Palantir CEO Alex Karp, according to people familiar with the matter. Palantir executives, who were not informed of the meeting’s agenda, canceled the sit-down because they were uncomfortable with the circumstances and the large contract pending before DHS.
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