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FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to the New York Magazine cover story today, which claims that Corey Lewandowski, rather than Secretary Kristi Noem, is the one calling the shots at the agency.
DHS punched back at New York Magazine’s reporting in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, saying that the story is simply “peddling anonymous gossip.”
“This NYMag hit piece reads like a preteen rage-scrolling, then prompting ChatGPT for a screed on misogyny,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital. “It’s not just lazy — it’s libelous — peddling anonymous gossip as fact while ignoring our exhaustive, on-the-record rebuttals that destroy their narrative.”
“New York Magazine has sunk to new depths of journalistic cowardice, force-feeding the American public lies less digestible than Kibble dog food,” McLaughlin added.
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Lewandowski served as President Donald Trump’s first campaign manager during the Republican primary in 2016. He also served as a senior adviser for Trump’s 2024 campaign. He now holds the title of senior adviser at DHS.
“All decisions are made by Secretary Noem,” McLaughlin told Fox. “Multiple staff have the ability to provide recommendations and input for her consideration. Mr. Lewandowski serves as an advisor.”
“The Secretary, like all previous Secretaries, has various senior advisors,” McLaughlin continued.
Noem, who was selected by Trump in November 2024, served as Governor of South Dakota prior to her tenure at DHS, and was rumored to be a potential Vice Presidential candidate along the campaign trail in Trump’s third run for president.
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Sources at DHS told Fox that Secretary Noem receives regular death threats, including from the terrorist organizations, cartels and criminal rings that DHS targets, presumably as a result of Noem and the Trump administration drastically reducing traffic across the southern border and deporting illegal migrants across the country.
Despite the threats against Noem, NY Magazine published that the secretary is living in the U.S. Coast Guard military housing in Washington D.C., which DHS told Fox is due to the security threats she regularly faces.
NY Magazine’s cover story later goes on to describe the Department of Homeland Security’s increase in deportations as one of the roots of “Trump’s police state,” saying that DHS is “endangering the constitutional rights of citizens and noncitizens alike.”
McLaughlin punched back at those claims, telling Fox News Digital that Noem has specifically targeted dangerous illegal migrant criminals while also being responsible for overseeing the U.S. Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
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“[Secretary Noem] slashed taxpayer waste by over $12 billion in her first 200 days while locking down the border in the wake of Biden’s chaos, facilitating the exit of 2 million illegal aliens (including terrorists, murderers, rapists, child pedophiles and gang members), revolutionizing the Coast Guard and overhauling TSA for safer, smoother, more hardened security,” McLaughlin told Fox News Digital.
“That’s leadership, not gossip — America’s safer and stronger because of Kristi Noem,” McLaughlin added.
Last month, McLaughlin told Fox that the agency has arrested more than 359,000 illegal migrants and removed more than 332,000 illegal migrants from the U.S.
Lauren Starke, a spokesperson for NY Magazine, told Fox News Digital that their cover story was “carefully reported and fact-checked” in response to DHS’ comments to Fox.
“Our Washington correspondent spoke with more than a dozen current and former DHS staffers, as well as Trump administration officials, lobbyists, consultants, immigration experts, and former colleagues of Noem in South Dakota,” Starke told Fox. “There is a public interest in government accountability, and we stand by this story.”
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston
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