# Justice Department reviewing allegations involving Lewandowski’s DHS work, reports say

The reported inquiry follows a DHS watchdog referral. Lewandowski denies wrongdoing, and CBS News reports he has not been charged.

By The Signal Edition | Politics / Justice
Published: 2026-10-22T23:16:00Z
Updated: 2026-10-22T23:16:00Z
Canonical: https://www.thesignaledition.com/article/corey-lewandowski-doj-review-j9fhzz
Image: https://www.thesignaledition.com/media/116b35d2fc8f3e99e4ac81e2dcb4840f.jpg (Corey Lewandowski arrives at a September 11 observance at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on September 11, 2025.; credit: Andrew Harnik / Getty Images (file), via NBC News)

## Summary
- The Wall Street Journal and CNN independently reported a Justice Department inquiry following a DHS inspector general referral.
- Lewandowski’s lawyer says investigators have not contacted him and denies wrongdoing.
- Trump said dishonest administration personnel should face prosecution, while acknowledging he did not know the details.

## Reported inquiry

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is examining allegations that Corey Lewandowski personally benefited from his senior role at the Department of Homeland Security, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The inquiry follows a referral from the department’s inspector general. [1](https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/justice-department-reviewing-allegations-against-corey-lewandowski-a6ccde19)

Lewandowski’s attorney, Adam Trigg, said his client had not been contacted by the Justice Department about an investigation and denied wrongdoing during what he described as Lewandowski’s voluntary government service, according to NOTUS. [4](https://www.notus.org/legal/corey-lewandowski-dhs-doj-investigation)

CBS News reported that Lewandowski has not been charged with a crime. [3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doj-corey-lewandowski-dhs-investigation/)

## Allegations under scrutiny

In September, the Journal reported that Lewandowski approached officials from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates about hiring him privately to help with matters under DHS jurisdiction, including visas, while he worked at the department. Both countries declined, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the approaches. His representative denied that he sought foreign government contracts while serving at DHS. [5](https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/corey-lewandowski-influence-dhs-43d3fe03)

CNN separately reported Thursday that Washington U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro had told officials in her office she wanted investigators to examine allegations of kickbacks connected to DHS contracting. CNN attributed that account to a source familiar with the investigation. [2](https://krdo.com/news/2026/10/22/justice-department-investigating-republican-operative-corey-lewandowski-over-alleged-contract-misconduct-at-dhs/)

## Earlier contracting scrutiny

Lewandowski served as a special government employee and became former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s chief adviser and gatekeeper, according to CNN. He left the department after Trump fired Noem. During her tenure, Noem required her approval for contracts and grants exceeding $100,000, a policy she defended as a safeguard against waste. [2](https://krdo.com/news/2026/10/22/justice-department-investigating-republican-operative-corey-lewandowski-over-alleged-contract-misconduct-at-dhs/)

Senator Maggie Hassan opened a separate congressional inquiry in June. Her letter cited reporting that Lewandowski sought compensation for helping protect or expand GEO Group’s DHS contracts, and that a marketing firm was asked to hire his preferred consultants to participate in a Salus Worldwide project. Hassan requested records concerning those allegations; her letter did not establish that misconduct occurred. [7](https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-opens-investigation-into-corey-lewandowski-after-alleged-corruption-and-abuse-of-taxpayer-dollars)

## Trump’s response

Asked about the reports Thursday, Trump said he had heard about the matter but did not know precisely what it involved, the New York Post reported. He said: “I want my people to be honest, and if they’re not going to be honest, they have to be prosecuted.” Trump also said he would not obstruct a prosecution involving dishonesty, without asserting that Lewandowski had committed wrongdoing. [6](https://nypost.com/2026/10/22/us-news/trump-responds-to-alleged-doj-corey-lewandowski-probe-if-theyre-not-going-to-be-honest-they-have-to-be-prosecuted/)

## What remains unknown

CNN reported that it remained unclear which U.S. attorney’s office was leading the investigation. The Justice Department declined to comment, and DHS did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment. The reported inquiry’s existence does not resolve the disputed allegations. [2](https://krdo.com/news/2026/10/22/justice-department-investigating-republican-operative-corey-lewandowski-over-alleged-contract-misconduct-at-dhs/)

The DHS inspector general’s office told the Journal that it does not discuss specific investigative matters or confirm or deny investigations. [1](https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/justice-department-reviewing-allegations-against-corey-lewandowski-a6ccde19)

## Reporting sources
1. [The Wall Street Journal: Justice Department Reviewing Allegations Against Corey Lewandowski](https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/justice-department-reviewing-allegations-against-corey-lewandowski-a6ccde19) (2026-10-22)
2. [CNN, syndicated by KRDO: Justice Department investigating Republican operative Corey Lewandowski over alleged contract misconduct at DHS, sources say](https://krdo.com/news/2026/10/22/justice-department-investigating-republican-operative-corey-lewandowski-over-alleged-contract-misconduct-at-dhs/) (2026-10-22)
3. [CBS News: DOJ investigating Trump ally Corey Lewandowski over role at DHS, sources say](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doj-corey-lewandowski-dhs-investigation/) (2026-10-22)
4. [NOTUS: DOJ Investigating Corey Lewandowski Over Alleged Contract Misconduct At DHS: Reports](https://www.notus.org/legal/corey-lewandowski-dhs-doj-investigation) (2026-10-22)
5. [The Wall Street Journal: Chasing Side Deals, Flexing Influence: Lewandowski’s Power Moves at DHS](https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/corey-lewandowski-influence-dhs-43d3fe03) (2026-09-08)
6. [New York Post: Trump responds to alleged DOJ Corey Lewandowski probe: ‘If they’re not going to be honest, they have to be prosecuted’](https://nypost.com/2026/10/22/us-news/trump-responds-to-alleged-doj-corey-lewandowski-probe-if-theyre-not-going-to-be-honest-they-have-to-be-prosecuted/) (2026-10-22)
7. [Office of Senator Maggie Hassan: Senator Hassan Opens Investigation into Corey Lewandowski After Alleged Corruption & Abuse of Taxpayer Dollars](https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-opens-investigation-into-corey-lewandowski-after-alleged-corruption-and-abuse-of-taxpayer-dollars) (2026-06-12)