White House Border Czar Tom Homan talks with reporters on the driveway outside the West Wing on March 17, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The White House on Monday denied reports that border czar Tom Homan allegedly accepted $50,000 in cash last year from undercover FBI agents during an alleged bribery sting operation.
“Mr. Homan never took the $50,000 that you’re referring to, so you should get your facts straight,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing when asked about the reports that emerged over the weekend.
“This was another example of the weaponization of the Biden [Department of Justice],” she said.
She also accused the FBI of trying to “entrap one of the president’s top allies.”
Leavitt’s comments follow reports by MSNBC and The New York Times that Homan accepted the cash after stating that he would help the undercover agents secure government contracts should then-candidate Donald Trump win a second term as president.
The FBI and Justice Department were reportedly waiting to see if Homan would carry through on his pledge when he received a top administration role, according to MSNBC, which first reported on the operation.
But the investigation was put on hold once Trump took office and ultimately closed a few weeks ago after FBI Director Kash Patel looked into the matter.
Justice Department officials were reportedly unsure whether prosecutors could convince a jury that Homan took the money in exchange for carrying out specific actions, according to the Times.
Homan allegedly accepted the cash on Sept. 20, 2024, at a meeting spot in Texas, MSNBC reported, citing a summary of the case and sources. The exchange was recorded on audiotape, according to the Times.
The White House, Justice Department and FBI swiftly derided the reports as politically motivated.
Leavitt doubled down on Monday: “The White House and the president stand by Tom Homan 100%, because he did absolutely nothing wrong,” she said.