President Donald Trump’s press secretary insisted that border czar Tom Homan did not accept a $50,000 payment from undercover FBI agents—even though Homan himself did not deny taking the money.
Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt was asked if the president had instructed the Department of Justice to close the case against Homan.
MSNBC reporting describes Homan accepted the money in exchange for “facilitating” contracts in a future Trump administration.
Leavitt was asked if Homan would have to return the money. “Well, Mr. Homan never took the $50,000 that you’re referring to, so you should get your facts straight,” she shot back in a White House press briefing on Monday.
Homan, however, did not deny taking the money when allowed to address the MSNBC story during an interview with Fox News.
“I did nothing criminal, I did nothing illegal, and there’s hit piece after hit piece after hit piece,” Homan told Laura Ingraham. “And I’m glad the FBI and DOJ came out and said that nothing illegal happened and no criminal activity.”
Homan allegedly accepted the cash from undercover FBI agents last summer while promising to secure government contracts during a future Trump administration.
He whined to Fox News that he had worked in law enforcement for 34 years and left a “very successful business” to serve in the Trump administration.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment on the discrepancy.
The cash exchange was recorded on tape, according to MSNBC, which broke the story over the weekend.
Sources said the FBI and DOJ were waiting to move forward with the investigation until Homan took over as border czar and could make good on his promise. After Trump took office, though, FBI Director Kash Patel requested an update on the case, which was then closed by an unnamed Trump appointee.
During Monday’s briefing, Leavitt accused the Biden administration of “weaponizing” the government against one of Trump’s “strongest and most vocal supporters” by having FBI agents go undercover to try to “entrap” someone who they knew would be taking a government position.
She also said the White House and the president stood by Homan “100 percent.”
“He did absolutely nothing wrong, and he is a brave public servant who has done a phenomenal job in helping the president shut down the border,” she added.
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