White House denies Homan took cash in FBI sting, slams probe as political
Administration rejects report of cash receipt, calls the investigation a politically charged effort against a Trump ally as officials say it was closed
The White House on Monday rejected reports that border czar Tom Homan accepted $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents and described the related investigation as politically motivated. The White House said Homan never took the money and that the matter should not be treated as evidence of criminal conduct. The remarks follow initial reporting from MSNBC that described video footage of an apparent cash exchange and cited a federal probe that reportedly concluded in recent weeks.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Homan did not take the funds, and she urged media to verify the facts before publishing. The administration framed the investigation as an example of what it described as weaponization of the Biden Department of Justice against a key supporter of former President Donald Trump. Leavitt said the White House would not provide further comment to Fox News Digital as the issue remains a political matter intertwined with the ongoing campaign season.
MSNBC reported that the undercover agents pictured themselves as business executives who claimed they could help secure government contracts for a potential second Trump administration, and that the cash was handed over while Homan indicated he could assist in those efforts. The White House did not dispute that reporting on the broader episode, but it pushed back on the interpretation that the case demonstrated criminal wrongdoing or illegal activity on Homan’s part. The administration stressed that, according to current officials, there is no evidence of illegal activity by Homan and that the investigation was concluded after a full review by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors.
Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche provided a joint statement asserting that the investigation found no credible evidence of criminal wrongdoing by Homan. They said the Department’s resources should be focused on real threats rather than pursuing what they described as baseless investigations. The White House emphasized that the inquiry originated under the previous administration and was closed in recent weeks, after FBI Director Kash Patel requested an update on the matter.
The White House’s characterization of the probe as politically motivated echoed assertions from Trump allies who argue that investigators targeted key associates during a heated political period. The administration did not offer additional comment to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, while noting that the matter had already been reviewed and closed.
The report highlights continuing scrutiny of Trump administration figures amid a highly charged political environment. Homan, a longtime law enforcement official who has served as border czar under the Trump administration, remains a prominent figure in immigration policy discussions as the campaign landscape evolves. The episode and the competing narratives surrounding it illustrate the friction between political supporters and federal investigators in an election year, with both sides contending over the meaning and implications of the reported cash exchange and the subsequent closure of the case.