Donald Trump’s White House is reportedly distancing itself from Corey Lewandowski, Kristi Noem’s rumored lover, as he faces the prospect of a criminal investigation.
Lewandowski, who effectively ran the Department of Homeland Security as Noem’s de facto chief of staff before both were pushed out in March, is under scrutiny over his role in billions of dollars’ worth of no-bid contracts. According to multiple reports, he has been accused of seeking to convert taxpayer funds into personal gain.
Two senior Trump administration officials close to the president told Our News Outlet that the White House does not plan to intervene on Lewandowski’s behalf if investigators with the Homeland Security inspector general refer the matter to the Justice Department for potential prosecution.
Our News Outlet reported exclusively in March that the watchdog had opened a broad criminal investigation into Noem, Lewandowski and associates connected to the awarding of contracts. As part of that inquiry, dozens of current and former employees were instructed to preserve all communications, including documents, text messages, emails and phone records.
Trump, who is known for exerting significant influence over the Justice Department, gave Noem, 54, a relatively soft landing after removing her from DHS in early March, creating a new role for her at the State Department.
Lewandowski, 52, who had been working as a special government employee, joined Noem on her first trip in that new position. He has since been removed from the administration.
Our News Outlet can reveal that the president’s senior aides now have no intention of stepping in should the inspector general move forward with a criminal referral to the Justice Department.
Multiple sources said the investigation remains active and could still lead to a criminal referral. It is not yet clear when investigators will conclude their work or make a final decision.
Our News Outlet revealed in March a watchdog launched a wide-ranging criminal investigation of Kristi Noem, Corey Lewandowski and associates involved in awarding contracts
A senior Trump official close to the president told Our News Outlet the White House will not step in to shield Lewandowski
‘The White House isn’t going to stand in the way,’ the official said. ‘Corey’s fate will be decided by Corey’s actions.’
‘Corey has made his bed, and now he has to lie in it,’ another source close to the White House told Our News Outlet.
Lewandowski has told people close to him he expects Trump would pardon him if charges ever came, a claim his lawyer has denied. His attorney insisted he would not seek or need a presidential pardon in a statement to the Wall Street Journal.
The comments landed less than 24 hours after the latest expose on Lewandowski. The Journal reported he went to senior Qatari officials while running DHS as Kristi Noem’s ‘shadow secretary’ and asked them to hire him on the side.
He told the Qataris he could help with anything under the department’s control, including visas, and made the same pitch to the United Arab Emirates, the paper reported.
Both leaders at the Gulf states were reportedly alarmed by Lewandowski’s alleged offer and said no.
The Journal also reported Lewandowski sat on a $2.7 billion Palantir contract for weeks while demanding a one-on-one meeting with CEO Alex Karp.
Palantir reportedly refused to schedule the sitdown, and months later the deal was later slashed to $1 billion with no explanation.
Lewandowski is also accused of freezing out private prison giant GEO Group for months, nearly a decade after the company refused to hire him as a lobbyist in 2017.
A representative for Lewandowski told the Journal he never sought contracts with foreign governments, never demanded payment from any contractor and had no role in reviewing or approving deals at DHS.
Our News Outlet has also reached out to Lewandowski regarding the alleged foreign contacts.
An administration source says that watchdog investigators briefed new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin on the IG investigation over the summer
Lewandowski has told people close to him he expects Trump would pardon him if charges ever came, a claim his lawyer has denied. His attorney claimed he would not seek or need a presidential pardon
When Our News Outlet first reported on the IG criminal investigation in March, Lewandowski’s response at the time was short: ‘Fake news.’
But the internal investigation appears to be moving along even as a new leader took control of the department.
An administration source says that watchdog investigators briefed new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin on the IG investigation over the summer.
Mullin then shared the information with senior officials at the White House. The investigation remains ongoing.
Following Lewandowski’s ouster back in March, Our News Outlet revealed what officials described as a ‘vindictive’ culture he built inside the department during his tenure.
In May, sources said he had spent his exile conducting a ‘revenge tour,’ against Trump’s inner circle who he blames for his ouster, including chief of staff Susie Wiles, Stephen Miller, and Mullin.
Our News Outlet learned that Lewandowski has also worked to undermine officials he disliked at DHS, among them Joseph Edlow, the director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The WSJ reported that Lewandowski had demanded Edlow expedite visas for certain people.
Our News Outlet learned that Edlow would push back on Lewandowski’s demands.
As one source explained it to Our News Outlet, ‘Corey didn’t like Edlow because he used to stand up to him, and has a tendency to project stuff on people who opposed him.’
Our News Outlet contacted Edlow for comment on the allegations.
Lewandowski did not respond to a request for comment.
‘DHS does not comment on matters regarding personnel who are no longer with the agency,’ a DHS spokesperson responded when asked about Lewandowski.
Lewandowski has set up as a consultant, and Bahrain signed him as a client after he left office
Since leaving government Lewandowski has set up as a consultant, and Bahrain signed him as a client after he left office, a Bahraini official told the Wall Street Journal.
Noem, meanwhile, has gone from running the president’s mass deportation agenda to a far lower profile special envoy post after Trump ousted her in March.
In April, Noem brought 10 of her closest Homeland Security aides with her to the Shield of the Americas, which is under the State Department umbrella.
But within weeks the White House had placed four of them on leave, including her former deputy chief of staff, Our News Outlet previously reported.
