A sweeping report published Thursday evening by The Wall Street Journal is sending shockwaves through Washington, detailing internal tensions and controversial decisions surrounding Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and longtime Trump ally Corey Lewandowski.
According to the Journal, President Donald Trump and several of his advisors have expressed discomfort with what the paper described as a “close relationship” between Noem and Lewandowski. The report states that Lewandowski initially sought to formally serve as Noem’s chief of staff, but Trump rejected the idea amid reports of a romantic relationship between the two — reports both Noem and Lewandowski, who are married to other people, have publicly denied.
The Journal reported that after tabloid photos surfaced showing Lewandowski traveling between his apartment and Noem’s residence across the street, Noem moved into a government-owned waterfront home on a military base in Washington. The residence is provided to the leader of the U.S. Coast Guard, which falls under DHS during peacetime. A DHS spokeswoman told the paper Noem moved for security reasons and pays rent. The Journal also reported that Lewandowski spends time at the house.
After being denied the chief of staff role, Lewandowski reportedly took on a position as a special government employee — a designation that allows private-sector employees to serve in advisory roles without giving up outside income, but limits government service to 130 days per year.
The White House Counsel’s office opened an inquiry last year into Lewandowski’s potential abuse of that role, the Journal reported. His alleged involvement in steering government contracts while maintaining private-sector employment — including urging officials to move away from long-term contracts in favor of new ones — raised concerns within both the White House and DHS.
The Journal also detailed internal friction following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last month. According to people familiar with the matter, Noem and Lewandowski sharply criticized Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons after videos emerged showing federal officers clashing with protesters. The report said that although Noem and Lewandowski had previously pushed for dramatic arrest footage for social media, they later blamed Lyons for the continued stream of videos, telling him the president was unhappy and demanding a shift to more targeted enforcement — an approach Lyons had advocated.
The report further described an ongoing rivalry between Noem and border czar Tom Homan, who replaced her as the lead figure overseeing Minneapolis immigration operations. According to the Journal, Noem closely monitored media appearances and sought to ensure she had more visibility than Homan, even asking aides to secure larger crowds at events.
White House officials reportedly grew frustrated with what they saw as resistance from Noem and Lewandowski to guidance on messaging and management. Several senior administration officials described DHS as the “biggest headache” of the president’s second term so far.
The Journal also reported that roughly 80% of career ICE field leadership was fired or demoted after Noem and Lewandowski took charge. In one notable incident, Lewandowski sought to obtain a law enforcement badge and federally issued firearm, despite typically requiring formal training. After initial refusals from ICE officials and legal staff — including Ken Padilla, who was later placed on administrative leave and demoted — Lewandowski eventually secured approval from other lawyers, with paperwork signed using the ICE director’s autopen.
In another episode cited by the Journal, Noem allegedly attempted to fire a Coast Guard pilot after a maintenance issue required switching planes and her blanket was not transferred. The pilot was later reinstated when it became clear no replacement was available.
The explosive report adds new scrutiny to DHS leadership at a time of heightened focus on immigration enforcement and internal administration dynamics.
