In a whirlwind of controversy that has gripped Washington, the White House has forcefully denied allegations that Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, accepted a $50,000 cash bribe from undercover FBI agents during a 2024 sting operation. The accusations, first reported by MSNBC and subsequently picked up by several major outlets including BBC, The New York Times, and Fox News, have ignited a fierce political battle, with Democrats demanding transparency and Republicans rallying behind Homan and the Trump administration.
According to multiple reports, the alleged incident took place on September 20, 2024, during a meeting in Texas. FBI agents, posing as business executives, reportedly offered Homan $50,000 in a bag from the restaurant chain Cava, in exchange for promises of help securing immigration-related government contracts should Trump return to office. As MSNBC detailed, the encounter was allegedly recorded on both audio and video, and the operation grew out of a broader counterintelligence investigation rather than an initial focus on Homan himself.
Despite the explosive nature of the claims, the White House has maintained a united front. At a press briefing on September 22, 2025, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt categorically rejected the accusations, stating, “Mr. Homan never took the $50,000 that you’re referring to, so you should get your facts straight, number one.” She went further, framing the investigation as a politically motivated attempt by the Biden administration to “entrap one of the president’s top allies and supporters, someone who they knew very well would be taking a government position.” Leavitt insisted that Homan “did absolutely nothing wrong,” and described him as “a brave public servant who has done a phenomenal job in helping the president shut down the border,” as reported by Fox News.
The White House’s narrative has shifted slightly over time. Initially, officials emphasized that there was “no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing,” but stopped short of directly denying the alleged cash exchange. Now, as the story has gained traction and political implications have intensified, the administration has adopted a more explicit denial, with Leavitt and Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson both stating that Homan was never involved in awarding contracts and never accepted the cash.
FBI Director Kash Patel, appointed by Trump, echoed the White House’s position. In a joint statement with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Patel declared, “This matter originated under the previous administration and was subjected to a full review by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors. They found no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing. The Department’s resources must remain focused on real threats to the American people, not baseless investigations. As a result, the investigation has been closed.” Patel’s comments, reported by BBC and Fox News, have done little to quell the uproar, especially among Democratic lawmakers.
House Democrats, led by members of the Judiciary Committee, have demanded the release of all investigative materials, including what they describe as “explosive recordings” of the alleged bribe. In a letter to Patel, Democrats wrote, “Confirmed by six sources and reportedly captured on recordings now in [Department of Justice] and FBI’s possession, this startling episode is powerful evidence that Mr. Homan may have committed multiple federal felonies, including conspiracy to commit bribery.” Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) was even more blunt, declaring, “Americans deserve disclosure of evidence showing top DHS official Homan accepting a bag full of $50,000 in cash. We need to know why the investigation was dropped—all the facts and evidence.”
Prominent progressive lawmakers have seized on the allegations to highlight what they see as a pattern of corruption and political favoritism in the Trump administration. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) quipped, “Who’s the illegal now, Tom Homan?” while Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) described the situation as “corruption that’s stunning even for this administration.” Calls for impeachment proceedings against high-level Trump officials, including FBI Director Patel, have also surfaced, with some Democrats urging a broader investigation into Homan’s relationship with private prison companies such as GEO Group—a firm he consulted for between Trump administrations and that received federal contracts in 2025.
For his part, Homan has vigorously defended his integrity. Appearing on Fox News, he told host Laura Ingraham, “I did nothing criminal. I did nothing illegal. You’re talking about a guy who spent 34 years enforcing the law. I mean, I left a very successful business that I ran to come back and work for government again.” Homan, who has faced death threats since the allegations became public, has also announced the closure of his consulting firm, Homeland Strategic Consulting, and recused himself from any discussions regarding border contracts to avoid the appearance of impropriety, according to The New York Times.
The controversy has exposed deep divisions over the use of federal law enforcement and the independence of the Justice Department. The White House has repeatedly characterized the investigation as “blatantly political,” with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stating, “This blatantly political investigation, which found no evidence of illegal activity, is yet another example of how the Biden Department of Justice was using its resources to target President Trump’s allies rather than investigate real criminals and the millions of illegal aliens who flooded our country.”
Yet, critics point out that the investigation began under a previous administration and that the Justice Department has pursued corruption cases against both Republicans and Democrats, including the high-profile prosecution of Senator Bob Menendez. The Biden-era FBI, led by Christopher Wray—a registered Republican—has also faced criticism for its handling of politically sensitive cases, adding another layer of complexity to the already tangled web of accusations and counter-accusations.
The dropped investigation into Homan comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of the Justice Department’s independence, as former President Trump has publicly pressured Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue cases against his political adversaries. The weekend before the White House’s most recent denial, Trump called for prosecutions of New York Attorney General Letitia James, former FBI director James Comey, and Senator Adam Schiff, raising alarms about the politicization of law enforcement at the highest levels.
As the dust settles, one thing remains clear: the debate over Tom Homan’s alleged bribe has become a lightning rod for broader concerns about justice, accountability, and the intersection of politics and law enforcement in America. With calls to “release the tapes” growing louder and both sides digging in, the nation’s capital is bracing for yet another chapter in its ongoing saga of scandal and suspicion.
For now, the White House stands firmly behind Homan, insisting he “did absolutely nothing wrong.” But with congressional inquiries looming and public trust in government institutions under strain, the full story behind the $50,000 bag may yet have more to reveal.
