Latest news with #CoreyLewandowski
Malay Mail
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
US disaster relief agency chief was set to be fired before public break with Trump
DHS tried to revoke Hamilton's security access before hearing, sources said Hamilton is reported to have clashed with Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski Lewandowski and DHS deny any conflict and say Hamilton is now at the Education Department Leadership change, loss of top officials raises concerns about readiness for hurricane season WASHINGTON, May 25 — Before Cameron Hamilton headed to Capitol Hill on May 7 to testify about the Federal Emergency Management Agency he was leading, the former Navy SEAL cleaned out his desk, knowing that he would soon be fired. That morning officials with Fema's parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, had called Fema's security team to order them to revoke Hamilton's security pass and escort him from the building, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. A tense back-and-forth ensued, with Fema officials warning that Hamilton, the agency's acting administrator, would need to cancel his planned congressional testimony. That could fuel the perception of instability at the disaster relief agency, the Fema officials cautioned, the three people said. DHS officials relented and Hamilton testified that afternoon, telling lawmakers he did not support the dismantling of the agency, contradicting the position of President Donald Trump, who had said he was considering abolishing Fema altogether. Hamilton's dismissal the following day was widely seen as punishment for his testimony, a view the White House did not contradict in its statements on his departure. But the sources familiar with the situation told Reuters that Trump's allies already wanted him out for what they saw as insufficient action to strip down an agency where many staff increasingly viewed him as something of a protector despite being a Trump appointee. 'Cameron wasn't fired for his testimony at that congressional committee hearing. He knew well in advance,' Matt Strickland, a longtime friend of Hamilton, told Reuters. Hamilton did not respond to requests for comment. 'This is lazy gossip,' a DHS spokesperson said in response to questions about Hamilton's removal. The spokesperson said Hamilton was not fired and is now a senior adviser at the Department of Education. A spokesperson for the Education Department said Hamilton was working on school safety issues and foreign influence on university campuses. Agency roiled by departures Strickland said Hamilton had clashed with long-time Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski, a key aide to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The tensions included the fallout over a disbursement of grants to New York City to cover the cost of housing migrants that Fema later clawed back. Strickland said he was fired as a government contractor for DHS this month after he posted a message on social media defending Hamilton. In a response to his post, DHS said on X that Strickland could only be fired by the contractor who employed him. Lewandowski contested that clashes with Hamilton contributed to Hamilton's ouster from Fema. 'None of this is true,' Lewandowski said in a text message. 'Cameron Hamilton chose to take a new opportunity at the Department of Education advising on school security.' The previously unreported behind-the-scenes drama sheds new light on the circumstances of Hamilton's dismissal, which came just over three weeks before the June 1 start of what forecasters say will be an above-normal hurricane season. The agency, which coordinates the federal response to natural disasters, has been roiled by the loss of hundreds of staff and low morale. Last week a raft of senior executives exited en masse, raising further questions about the agency's preparedness for hurricane season. Hamilton's dismissal highlights Trump's determination to overhaul Fema and a willingness to jettison even loyalists who do not move fast enough. The move is not without political risk for Trump, whose Republican Party could face the wrath of voters if hurricane relief efforts go poorly and the turmoil at Fema is blamed. Experts have warned that shrinking or reorganising Fema could leave local and state governments more vulnerable to facing natural disasters alone. Hamilton was replaced by David Richardson, a Marine Corps veteran with no emergency management experience and who was serving as assistant secretary of the DHS' office for countering weapons of mass destruction. In his first address to staff, Richardson vowed to implement Trump's wishes and 'run right over' employees who got in his way. In a subsequent address he told staff he believed the agency was well prepared for hurricane season. Polygraphs and Lewandowski Hamilton, who worked in the State Department during Trump's first term and has been an unflinching backer of the president, came into the acting Fema administrator position sceptical of the agency's mission and staff, the three sources said. But, as he toured Fema's offices and got to know its employees, he came to believe that while Fema needed reform it still had an important role to play in disaster response, the sources said. In his first statement to staff after being appointed in January he acknowledged 'you are the foremost experts in this critical work,' and that 'I am here to serve as an advocate for you,' according to a copy reviewed by Reuters. That nuanced view increasingly put him at odds with Noem and Lewandowski, who had made it known to others at DHS they felt Hamilton was being 'too nice' to Fema staff, even as he oversaw the elimination of hundreds of agency jobs, two of the sources said. The first outward sign of tension came in late March when several Fema employees were given a polygraph test to determine who leaked to the press information about a private meeting that included Hamilton, Noem and Lewandowski, according to two of the sources. Noem had discussed radically shrinking Fema and shifting costs for disaster response to the states, Politico and CNN reported at the time. Lewandowski called Hamilton and accused him of being the leaker, two of the sources said. Soon after, Hamilton received an email from DHS' office of the chief security officer stating that his candour and character were in question and that he was required to submit to a polygraph examination, one of the sources said. While Hamilton was cleared by the test, he continued to clash with Lewandowski over Fema's direction, and in late April Hamilton told some senior Fema staff it was possible he would be fired, two of the sources said. On the morning of his testimony, Hamilton put all his belongings into bags, ready to pick up after he got back from the Hill, one of the sources said. But he would last one more day. He was fired on May 8 by Lewandowski and Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Troy Edgar during a short meeting at DHS headquarters, two of the sources said. — Reuters
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Internal DHS memo shows ICE Barbie Kristi Noem endorsed immigrant reality TV show despite telling senators she 'knew nothing about it'
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took to the Senate floor Tuesday and accused of lying about her support for a reality TV competition that would pit immigrants against each other to fast-track their US citizenship. stands by its reporting and can now reveal that it has seen DHS HQ internal communications showing not only was Noem aware of the proposal by a Duck Dynasty producer, but she also endorsed it. Noem's de-facto chief of staff, Corey Lewandowski, and her top spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin were also involved and supportive of the project, according to the internal communications. The proposal remained under wraps until obtained a copy of the pitch and the communications showing DHS support. After being contacted last Thursday for comment, DHS officials immediately went into damage control, apparently concerned about the optics of turning the plight of immigrants into a game show. McLaughlin insisted that Noem had yet to be brief on the initiative, even as she acknowledged that agency staff had a call with the producer a week earlier. 'I think it's a good idea,' she initially told After publicized its exclusive article Thursday, the story got picked by other media. McLaughlin continued to downplay DHS involvement and to distance Noem from the proposal. 'It's in the very beginning stages of that vetting process,' she told Wall Street Journal. The proposed reality show went viral and became a source of mockery on social media. Politicians and pundits sounded off on the controversial pitch and that Noem was supporting it. It was also joked about by Bill Maher on his show Friday and on SNL on Saturday. But DHS officials have continued to try to distance themselves from the proposal, decrying on the DHS official website under the headline 'FAKE NEWS FRIDAY: DHS Torches Latest Media Hoax.' Noem was asked about it during a hearing Tuesday. 'I'm sure you've seen the recent reports,' Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, told the Cabinet secretary. 'Your agency is going to sponsor a reality tv show in which immigrants would compete for US citizenship. 'Is DHS seriously vetting a reality show for immigrants to obtain U.S. citizenship?' he asked. Noem, addressing the subject publicly for the first time, went into denial mode. 'Sir, we have no knowledge of a reality show,' the secretary declared. 'There may have been something submitted to the department, but I did not know anything about this reality show until the reporter reached out. We told him we have no knowledge of it, we don't know what he's talking about, and they still printed wrong information. 'So that article, they had to change it later because they lied so bad and they had us on the record saying I had no knowledge of a reality show, the department didn't,' she continued. 'There may have been something submitted somewhere along the line because there are proposals pitched to the department.' At the same hearing, Noem drew additional ridicule after flubbing the definition of habeas corpus - the bedrock legal principle that gives defendants the right of due process to challenge their detention by the government. Noem bizarrely called it a 'constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country.' Noem, who's earned the moniker 'ICE Barbie' for treating her Cabinet position like a TV producer, had been working for weeks to get a reality project greenlit from Netflix or another streaming or cable service, has learned. But while past outreach has fallen flat, they were hoping this one has a real chance. The 35-page TV pitch came from Rob Worsoff, a writer and producer known for Duck Dynasty, the A&E reality show about a Louisiana family and its hunting empire, and Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker. He'd been working since the second Obama administration to get the necessary DHS support for his project but finally appeared to be on the brink of getting the official green light. At the same hearing, Noem drew additional ridicule after flubbing the definition of habeas corpus, calling it a 'constitutional right' that President Trump had to deport people without accepting their challenge to the government The proposed series is called The American, named after the train that contestants would ride around the country, competing in regionally specific 'cultural' contests such as balancing on logs in Wisconsin. It would lead to a grand finale with the winner getting sworn in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. 'Along the way, we will be reminded what it means to be American – through the eyes of the people who want it most,' reads Worsoff's pitch. In his pitch, Worsoff, 49, expresses confidence that The American would be a commercial hit and 'lends itself to enormous corporate sponsorship opportunities'. At the same time, there have been concerns among some in DHS about the possible optics of turning the plight of immigrants into a reality game show, sources told Noem was already suffering from the perception she cares more about image than fulfilling her responsibility to protect the homeland and crack down on illegal immigration. 'When will Secretary Noem stop prioritizing staged photo ops and media stunts?' one source asked. 'The focus on self-promotion is undermining our ability to deliver on President Trump's deportation mandate. We need leadership committed to logistics and results, not financial gain or reality show theatrics.' As described in Worsoff's pitch, contestants from various countries and backgrounds would be pre-vetted and arrive at Ellis Island in New York City aboard 'The Citizen Ship', a boat symbolizing a new beginning. They'd be greeted by the host – 'a famous, naturalized American who was also born in another country'. Worsoff's pitch names Colombian-born Sofia Vergara, Canadian Ryan Reynolds and Mila Kunis who hails from Ukraine as possible hosts who'd greet each contestant with a welcome gift – a personalized baseball glove. Contestants would then travel state to state meeting 'interesting Americans' and learning about the history, culture and quirks of each region. Viewers in turn will learn about each wannabe American and why they want to live here. 'We'll join in the laughter, tears, frustration, and joy – hearing their backstories – as we are reminded how amazing it is to be American, through the eyes of 12 wonderful people who want nothing more than to have what we have,' the pitch reads. The immigrants would be divided into teams who'd face off in one-hour episodes. Scenes envisaged include one in San Francisco, where the immigrants are sent down a mine to collect the most gold In Cape Canaveral, Florida, the hub of NASA, contestants would rush to build and launch a rocket. TV producer Worsoff, who was born in Canada, developed the idea from Noem's desire to showcase what it means to become an American - hence the name of the program There would also be 'elimination challenges,' where contestants get divided into two groups. The teams would raft down the Arkansas River in Colorado, dig clams in Maine, put together a chassis for the 1914 Model T Ford on an assembly line in Detroit, and deliver mail via horseback and ferry from Missouri to Kansas. Although there will be a winner who will become 'our newest fellow American!', Worsoff makes it clear losers will have all been pre-screened for eventual citizenship, so will have a leg-up when it comes to applying for citizenship in the more traditional way. Game prizes would be 'iconically American,' such as 1 million American Airlines points, a $10,000 Starbucks Gift Card or a lifetime supply of 76 gasoline. The live finale would feature the train braking at its final stop, Washington, DC, where the winner walks to Capitol Hill for a swearing-in ceremony. As Thunderbird pilots fly overhead, a 'top American politician or judge' will perform the swearing in, read Worsoff's pitch. 'There won't be a dry eye within 10 miles!' Even before this pitch went public, Noem, 53, faced mounting criticism for her penchant for documenting and dramatizing the work of her department. One particularly awkward photo shows her wearing an ill-fitting bulletproof vest, toting a machine gun that is accidentally pointed at the head of a Border Patrol Officer. A photo of Noem on a pre-dawn ICE raid in New York City in January came back into the spotlight last week after a report revealed she had posted the image on X before the operation had even concluded In another apparent photo-op, Noem angered liberals for wearing an expensive watch while simultaneously berating suspected gangsters at the notorious El Salvador prison where the Trump administration banished some migrants. has obtained photos showing how she has even adorned the walls of agency offices with framed pictures showing her in rough and tough photo-ops. The Wall Street Journal last month published a scathing report about her 'Made-for-TV Approach to Homeland Security.' The article pointed out how just days after she took office as head of Homeland Security, she joined ICE agents on a predawn raid in New York City and tweeted about it before the raid had even concluded. Insiders told the outlet that her post potentially alerted targets to the operation and ultimately resulted in fewer arrests than officials had expected. 'Live this AM from NYC. I'm on it,' Noem posted on X at 4:43am on January 28, along with a picture of herself hopping into a vehicle wearing an ICE baseball cap. High profile conservatives including Meghan McCain and Megyn Kelly have torched the DHS secretary for her repeated photos ops in recent weeks, arguing that her desire for attention serves as a smoke screen to distract from the fact her agency has so far failed to fulfill Trump's central campaign promise to deport millions of illegal immigrants. Within her own department, some reportedly view her as little more than a spokeswoman or 'face' of the operation. Noem introduced herself to her new workforce by walking on stage at a town hall meeting to the country song 'Hot Mama', insiders claim. Since then, she's made a series of changes which have ruffled feathers within the department, from pushing voluntary staff exits to implementing the use of lie detector tests to root out disloyal staff and leakers. In spite of the criticism, the administration's border policies have delivered some success, with illegal crossings down to the lowest point in decades.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Mobile McDonald's is brought in especially for Big Mac-loving Trump during Middle East tour
US President Donald Trump is well-known for his love of McDonald's, with Big Macs and the Fillet-O-Fish proving particular favourites for the 78-year-old. It was no wonder, then, that Saudi Arabia rolled out a special mobile fast food truck for the visiting President as part of a charm offensive. A White House official confirmed that a mobile McDonald's food truck was in Riyadh as Trump kicked off his landmark tour of the Middle East. Footage posted by i24 journalist Mordechai Wagenheim shows the double-staircase trailer branded both in Arabic and English. It was parked outside a media hub called 'Media Oasis,' where journalists were hosted amid video screens showcasing Saudi mega-projects like the futuristic NEOM city and the upcoming 2034 FIFA World Cup. Trump's long-standing relationship with the fast food giant is well documented. Former White House senior adviser Jared Kushner said that he requested one of his favourite meals during his battle with COVID-19 in 2020. 'I knew he was feeling better when he requested one of his favorite meals: a McDonald's Big Mac, Filet-o-Fish, fries and a vanilla shake,' he said. His campaign diet in 2016, meanwhile, usually involved an 1,880 calorie order featuring two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, and a chocolate milkshake, according to ex-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. During a visit to the battleground state of Pennsylvania before last year's election, he donned a McDonald's apron and worked the fryer at a branch in Feasterville-Trevose. As he entered the establishment, he said: 'Hello, everybody. It's my first day at McDonald's. I'm looking for a job.' He also worked the drive-thru window during his McDonald's shift, greeting customers and vowing that he would make the U.S. 'better than ever' if re-elected to the Oval Office. In 2019, he served McDonald's burgers to welcome Clemson University's football team following their win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship. 'We have some very large people that like eating,' he said at the event. 'So I think we're going to have a little fun. If it's American, I like it. It's all American stuff.' The US President is said to be concerned about being poisoned, and believes fast food offered consistency and safety through standardised preparation on the road. Trump's reception was filled with symbolic detail as it appeared Saudi officials were keen to impress the US President. American and Saudi flags fluttered throughout the capital, and an all-American fleet of police vehicles formed a visible security perimeter around key sites. He was also greeted on the tarmac as he got off the plane by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself. However, he looked unsure after being handed coffee by attendants wearing ceremonial gun-belts during a sit-down with the Crown Prince. His four day trip, which started on Tuesday, will see Trump visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
