Corey Lewandowski — a longtime adviser to President Donald Trump and a top aide to Kristi Noem — is reportedly also leaving the Department of Homeland Security following the president’s decision to remove Noem as secretary.
Multiple outlets, including MSN Now, CBS News and the New York Post, confirmed Lewandowski’s departure. PEOPLE has reached out to DHS and Lewandowski for comment.
This marks the third time Trump has cut ties with Lewandowski.
The veteran political operative previously served as Trump’s campaign manager during the early months of the 2016 race but was abruptly dismissed in June of that year amid internal power struggles. He later returned to Trump’s orbit, only to be pushed out again in 2021 from a Trump‑aligned super PAC after a donor accused him of making unwanted sexual advances at a Las Vegas charity event — allegations he denied.
Lewandowski had been serving as a senior adviser to Noem at DHS and was widely described as her de facto chief of staff, despite technically holding the status of an unpaid “special government employee.”
Rumors about a possible romance between the two have circulated for years, dating back to Noem’s time as South Dakota governor, and resurfaced again when Lewandowski joined DHS. Both officials, who are married to other people, have denied the affair.
Noem was questioned about the alleged relationship while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 4, during a hearing on immigration enforcement.
Asked by Rep. Sydney Kamlager‑Dove (D‑Calif.) if she “had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski,” Noem replied, “I am shocked we’re going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee.”
She also downplayed Lewandowski’s influence, insisting he had no authority to make decisions for DHS.
“He is a special government employee who works for the White House,” Noem said, noting that the designation limits how many days someone can work for the federal government each year. “There are thousands of them in the federal government.”
But Lewandowski’s influence reportedly extended far beyond a typical adviser’s responsibilities. According to The New Republic, some officials described him as the department’s “shadow” leader while Noem served as its public face.
The arrangement raised ethical concerns inside the agency and among lawmakers, particularly because Lewandowski held no formal Senate‑confirmed role.
Noem’s tenure at DHS had already been under pressure amid criticism of immigration enforcement policies, a controversial $220 million border security advertising campaign, and internal management disputes before her removal.
Her exit — the first major Cabinet shakeup of Trump’s second term — was announced by the president on Truth Social on Thursday, March 5. Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma has been selected as her replacement, pending confirmation.
In his post, Trump praised Noem for “numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!)” and thanked her “for her service as ‘Homeland.’ ” He also revealed she will move into a newly created role: “the Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere.”
Behind the scenes, however, Trump was reportedly “not happy” with Noem after her poor performance at the Capitol Hill hearing. He told NBC News on Thursday that he took issue with her costly television campaign, despite her testimony that he had been aware of it.
“I wasn’t thrilled with it,” Trump said. “I spent less money than that to become president. I didn’t know about it.”
