AOC targets Homan over bribery probe as FBI undercover sting details surface

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reacted on social media Saturday to reports that Tom Homan, President Trump’s border czar, was the subject of a bribery investigation, posting on X: “Who’s the illegal now @RealTomHoman?” The New York Democrat linked to MSNBC reporting that Homan was the target of an FBI undercover operation last year, after a separate inquiry accused him of soliciting payments in exchange for promises of government contracts should Trump win reelection. The post drew wide attention as Homan has been a prominent advocate of Trump’s border-enforcement agenda.

According to MSNBC, the undercover operation involved agents posing as business executives who recorded Homan accepting $50,000 in cash during a meeting in Texas on Sept. 20, 2024, while he was not in public office. The documents described the probe as examining payments in exchange for helping secure future contracts related to border enforcement.

Trump named Homan border czar on November 11, 2024, six days after his election victory. Technically a White House official, Homan’s appointment did not require Senate confirmation or an FBI background check. The case reportedly stalled once Trump took office as MAGA-aligned officials filled the top levels of the FBI and Justice Department.

Officials have given mixed signals about why the probe was slowed or closed. Some Trump allies described it as politically motivated, while a Trump Justice Department appointee told MSNBC that the matter originated under the previous administration and was the subject of a full review. They said there was no credible evidence of criminal wrongdoing and that resources should focus on other priorities, leading to the probe being closed.

FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described the closure in a statement to MSNBC, saying the matter originated under the previous administration and had been thoroughly reviewed, with no credible evidence of criminal wrongdoing found. They added that the Department’s resources should address threats to the American people, not baseless investigations. White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson characterized the probe as a “blatantly political investigation” and noted that Homan did not participate in contract award decisions, emphasizing that he is a career law enforcement officer performing public service for President Trump. The White House and Ocasio-Cortez’s office did not respond to requests for comment from the Daily Mail.

The episode underscores ongoing partisan tensions over investigations involving Trump allies and how such probes are pursued and perceived in the current political climate.