Top DHS aid overheard at DC airport talking about his work with agency: reporter

A brief campaign manager for President Donald Trump and close friend of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was caught loudly talking at the airport about his work for Noem's agency.

Axios said on Friday that loud-talker Corey Lewandowski was overheard by a reporter at National Airport discussing Homeland Security vendors and contracts.

"At an airport gate last week, Lewandowski loudly talked on his phone talked on his phone about contracts from DHS vendors last week for all to hear," Axois White House reporter Marc Caputo wrote on X. "It’s a sign he’s still the full-time power broker while working under as a part-time volunteer."

Lewandowski was supposed to only remain in his government post for 130 days as a "special government employee," but it appears that has changed.

"Thanks to creative timekeeping, he was there throughout the year. Now he's poised for a repeat in 2026," said Axios.

The report said that Lewandowski is now "the de facto chief of staff" to Noem, after previously working for her in South Dakota.

"Kristi is the face of DHS. Corey is the brains. He gets things done," said a senior administration official when speaking to Axios.

There has never been a precedent of a "special government employee" staying on past their 130-day deadline. Last year, Elon Musk was hired on for the temporary post and followed the rules, leaving on the deadline.

Axios said that Lewandowski was working for DHS all through 2025 and continues now in 2026.

"SGEs are supposed to operate as temporary workers and specialists who help out the government on a part-time basis, often for a specific project. They're limited to 130 days of government employment yearly," said the report.

A 2025 piece by Axios said that other officials believed Lewandowski was working far beyond his part-time mandate.

A Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed Lewandowski was hired for a second 130-days, which would have ended last fall.

While DHS says Lewandowski has filed all of the "necessary Office of Government Ethics forms," Axios hasn't received a response to its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for his financial disclosure.

The problem is that it gives Lewandowski the opportunity to make money on the side even if there's a conflict of interest, such as if he accepts money from vendors as he's managing contracts for DHS.

It was only a few years ago that Noem parted ways with Lewandowski after he was accused of making "unwanted sexual advances" to a Republican donor.

“He repeatedly touched me inappropriately, said vile and disgusting things to me, stalked me, and made me feel violated and fearful,” Trashelle Odom alleged.

New York Times writer Ken Vogel noted, "It's getting harder & harder to extract public information from the government via FOIA, but officials continue to hold easily overheard conversations in public settings where they discuss sensitive info that likely would be redacted from FOIA productions."

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