Corey Lewandowski, who previously managed Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and now acts as a senior adviser at the Department of Homeland Security, is reportedly involved in approving six-figure contracts at the agency.
This involvement, according to an administration official and two FEMA officials who spoke to Politico, has created a bottleneck. The delays, coupled with Lewandowski’s role as a “special governmental employee,” have reportedly frustrated and rankled members of the administration.
Lewandowski has veto power over DHS contracts and grants that exceed $100,000, according to one FEMA official and an administration official, who were granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak about the process.
He is the last hurdle before contracts reach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s desk, said the second FEMA official, who has personally seen his signature on an approval. He does not sign contracts in place of Noem.
The second FEMA official called Lewandowski’s authority at the agency, which is primarily responsible for executing Trump’s large-scale deportation plan, “insane,” stating that his role has hindered FEMA operations due to the new DHS protocol of manually reviewing routine contracts.
“Corey is part of the problem,” said the administration official. “It doesn’t matter how quickly we get it there; it doesn’t just go straight to her desk.”
Lewandowski did not respond to a request for comment from Politico.
The additional oversight at DHS is part of a larger effort from Noem to rein in what the Trump administration believes is wasteful spending.
However, critics argue that it has created additional bureaucratic hurdles, hindering the president’s agenda and raising concerns that the agency may struggle to effectively deploy billions in mega-bill funds intended to strengthen its immigration enforcement efforts.
Administration officials say it can take weeks to obtain approvals, which is an unusually long time for relatively small-dollar contracts.
“We’ll see if that frustrates members of Congress who voted for the Big Beautiful Bill,” the administration official said.
Noem’s contract approval process has drawn sharp criticism, with a significant number of federal employees alleging it has compromised agency performance and led to critical delays.
The directive, first implemented in June, has reportedly caused a backlog of contracts requiring her sign-off, impacting various departments within the Department of Homeland Security, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration, and FEMA.
In a rare public rebuke, 181 current and former FEMA employees stated on Monday that the policy had held up their ability to deploy response teams following the devastating July 4 flooding in central Texas, which claimed 138 lives. Noem has rejected these accusations.
One of the FEMA officials stated that the number of unsigned contracts is in the hundreds, if not thousands. Such delays leave local governments shouldering the financial burden of response and recovery after a disaster.
When approached for comment by Politico about Lewandowski’s role in contract approvals, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin responded with a statement saying “FALSE,” but did not answer follow-up questions about what specifically she was referring to.
She said Noem “personally reviews any contract above $100,000,” a process she said has saved “U.S. taxpayers an additional $10.7 billion” by rejecting contracts she sees as contributing to “waste, fraud and abuse.”
McLaughlin also said Noem has reviewed more than 5,000 contracts since taking office — and does so within 24 hours. While this claim could not be verified, Politico notes that it contradicts other media reports and would mean she has approved roughly two dozen contracts every day since her confirmation on January 25.
Lewandowski’s significant influence within DHS is under increasing scrutiny, with questions raised over the nature of his role and the accounting of his time.
Despite being listed in some official capacities as a “chief adviser to the secretary,” Lewandowski was initially appointed as a special governmental employee (SGE) – a temporary position typically limited to 130 days of unpaid work per year.
His authority regarding approval of grants and contracts underscores his outsize presence at DHS, critics argue. Former and current administration officials have voiced concerns regarding how his days at the agency are being counted, particularly given his frequent appearances alongside Secretary Noem at events and during travel. These officials have even referred to him as Noem’s de facto chief of staff.
In response to queries from Politico about his status, a statement from McLaughlin said: “Mr. Lewandowski’s time is kept by a career DHS employee who submits the paperwork on a bi-weekly basis. He has completed all of the required Office of Government Ethics forms, including a full financial disclosure and any investments by his family.”
“Mr. Lewandowski does not receive a salary or any federal government benefits. He volunteers his time to serve the American people. He serves as an advisor. The Secretary, like all previous Secretaries, has various senior advisors.”
Lewandowski has amassed considerable power serving as Noem’s apparent right-hand man, according to reports.
He was spotted with Noem while traveling across South America to participate in bilateral meetings as well as trips to Europe, Florida, and Phoenix. He has also secured enough authority to request that employees be fired or placed on administrative leave, according to CNN.
Lewandowski and Noem, both of whom are married, have also been subject to extramarital affair rumors. They have repeatedly staunchly denied the allegations. Noem specifically called them a “disgusting lie.”
A DHS spokesperson previously told the Wall Street Journal that the department “doesn’t waste time with salacious, baseless gossip.”
