Corey Lewandowski is reportedly leaving his role as special government employee, amid accusations of conducting a taxpayer-funded affair with former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, according to a report.
Both Noem and Lewandowski have vehemently denied suggestions that they had an affair, with the former previously describing the rumors as “tabloid garbage” at a House hearing. Noem has also described the accusations as a “disgusting lie.”
Tensions surrounding the allegations flared up again on Wednesday after photographs of the pair sitting side by side were released by the U.S. Embassy in Guyana.
Noem had arrived in the South American country to discuss “joint efforts to disrupt cartel and transnational criminal activity” among other issues, according to a post from the embassy on X.
Now, three sources and a White House official have told The New York Post that Lewandowski will leave his role as a special government employee.
The sources told The Post that the decision was made as recently as Tuesday or Wednesday.
Two of those sources claimed that President Trump had forced out Lewandowski due to his disapproval of a $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem.
The president was also reportedly unhappy with contracting decisions made by Lewandowski while he served under Noem.
A third source claimed that Lewandowski decided to leave on his own because he was not interested in moving to the State Department.
After being ousted from the DHS by Trump in early March, Noem was reassigned as special envoy to The Shield of the Americas.
CBS News reporter Olivia Gazis, wrote on X that a State Department official said that Noem will report to Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau in her new role.
The initiative will bring together leaders of several South American countries to commit to stopping drug cartels.
Guyana was one stop on Noem’s tour, where she also visited the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Costa Rica and Ecuador, according to Reuters.
Noem and Lewandowski traveled on a Homeland Security Department plane, the agency reported.
The department would not confirm the “whereabouts of our plane.”
Noem and Lewandowski’s relationship has been scrutinized over allegations that the pair are having an extramarital affair.
The former DHS Secretary denied the rumours during a House Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this month.
Noem’s husband, Bryon, left the room minutes before Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove asked, “At any time during you tenure as director of the Department of Homeland Security, have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?”
“I am shocked we are going down and peddling tabloid garbage today at this committee,” Noem replied.
Photos of Noem’s visit to Guyana with Lewandowski sparked backlash online on Wednesday.
Meghan McCain, the daughter of the late Senator John McCain, asked on X, “GIRL WHAT IS YOU DOING?”
Billy Binion, a reporter for the libertarian Reason magazine, wrote on X, “Why are my taxpayer dollars funding Corey Lewandowski's travel to Guyana? How is that remotely acceptable?”
Gazis reported that the photos of Noem with Lewandowski were not taken during an official State Department trip.
According to Gazis, the sources also suggested that Lewandowski is not employed by the State Department and there is no job lined up for him there in the future.
The Independent has reached out to the State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Guyana and the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
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