The White House has publicly intervened in a bitter behind-the-scenes feud at the Department of Homeland Security, siding with President Donald Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, against allegations made by Kristi Noem's top aide, Corey Lewandowski.
Explosive Allegations and a Fiery Denial
This follows an explosive report published by the Daily Mail on Wednesday, which cited multiple Homeland Security whistleblowers. They accused Lewandowski, who officially serves as a temporary 'special government employee', of repeatedly trying to strong-arm his way into obtaining an ICE-issued firearm and official badge.
The sources claimed that Lewandowski sidelined officials who blocked his efforts. Most notably, they allege he torpedoed the bid of former ICE New York field director Tom Feeley to become ICE director this spring, after Feeley refused to cooperate with the scheme.
In a fiery phone call with the Daily Mail, Lewandowski furiously denied all allegations. He pointed the finger at Tom Homan, accusing him of being the source of the leak. 'I don't know how many times Tom Homan can pitch you the same story,' Lewandowski said in a follow-up interview. 'He's your source, not mine.'
The White House Chooses a Side
Shortly after the story broke, the White House issued a definitive statement rejecting Lewandowski's claim and defending Homan. This marks the first time the administration has taken a side in the long-simmering conflict between the two powerful DHS aides.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stated, 'Tom Homan is an American patriot who does not leak to the media and is very respectful of the White House's press processes.' She praised Homan's 'critical work securing the border' and called him 'an invaluable member of the Administration.'
Significantly, the White House statement did not address the central allegations from the four whistleblowers about Lewandowski's alleged campaign for a gun and credentials.
Career Casualties and a Pattern of Pressure
The fallout from the allegations appears to be immediate. Sources now confirm to the Daily Mail that Tom Feeley was fired earlier this week from his subsequent role as an instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia. In a statement on Thursday, Feeley acknowledged his termination, calling it a 'direct consequence of the ongoing, heightened scrutiny' around the article's release.
Feeley refuted Lewandowski's denial of knowing him, detailing a professional discussion about operational protocols for authorizing political appointees to carry weapons. He expressed shock at the 'profound and unforeseen repercussions' of what he believed was a routine deliberation.
The report suggests Lewandowski's alleged efforts continued even after Feeley's refusal. During the summer, he is said to have used senior legal counsel at DHS and ICE to probe what it would take for him and roughly a dozen allies to receive firearms and credentials. The plan reportedly collapsed when ICE officials pushed back, demanding to know under what legal authority it could be done.
Another official, executive deputy principal legal advisor Kenneth Padilla, allegedly faced Lewandowski's wrath after thwarting these plans. Padilla, who found the requests 'unethical, immoral, and potentially illegal,' was subsequently placed on administrative leave and later moved to FEMA.
The scandal has sent shockwaves through DHS and prompted intense speculation within Trump's political sphere, with prominent supporter Roger Stone ominously tweeting the article with the caption: 'Is Corey Lewandowski finally BUSTED?'
