DHS Awards Big Money Contract to Lewandowski’s Campaign Pals
A firm run by the top DHS adviser’s former campaign pals has been awarded a contract that was only briefly open to bids.
A Republican firm with ties to top brass at the Department of Homeland Security has been awarded a $250,000 contract by the department, a new report reveals.
The consulting firm in question, American Made Media Company (AMMC) LLC, is led by former campaign officials of President Donald Trump who have connections to Corey Lewandowski, a top adviser and alleged lover of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Corey Lewandowski holds a poster for Kristi Noem during the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2021. He has been described as Noem’s top adviser despite technically being only a special government employee.
The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im
The Guardian revealed on Thursday that the company was awarded the contract in September after an unusually quick application period. The paper writes that the contract was posted on Sept. 26 and that bids were due the following day.
Homeland Security’s posting for the contract made it clear that it wanted PR professionals aligned with MAGA—a departure from federal procurement guidelines.
“The contractor must demonstrate an established track record of promoting Trump administration policies in the media,” the listing stated, according to the Guardian.
The listing added that preference would be given to firms “with prior experience in Cabinet-level communications, particularly those who served in a cabinet agency during the first Trump presidency.”
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
American Made Media Company, which was founded in early 2025, was officially awarded the contract four days later. The Guardian writes that the DHS contract appears to be the group’s first with the federal government.
Among those working for the Virginia-based firm are Sean Dollman, CFO of the 2020 and 2024 Trump campaigns; Nick Trainer, director of battleground strategy for the 2020 campaign; and Justin Clark, deputy campaign manager for Trump in 2020.
Sean Dollman, Trump's rarely photographed one-time campaign finance chief, was videotaped in a deposition case brought against the 2016 campaign by Omarosa Manigault.
John M. Phillips
Lewandowski, 52, was Trump’s campaign manager in 2016 and worked closely with Clark and Trump in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, CNN reported that year.
Despite technically being a special government employee, Lewandowski has been “directing personnel and contracting” for DHS in MAGA 2.0, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month. That same report noted that the married Noem, 54, has been jetting around the country with Lewandowski, who is also married, aboard a luxury 737 MAX that features a private cabin and bed—a detail that has only increased speculation about their alleged romantic relationship.
Experts told the Guardian that the contract awarded to AMMC was not just “highly unusual,” but may even be unprecedented in the way it was awarded.
“Talk about fast tracking, the bid was only open for 31 hours, and work began three days later,” said Scott Amey, who serves as general counsel for the nonpartisan watchdog Project on Government Oversight. “Speed often results in bad deals for the public.”
Amey added that the application’s explicit request for pro-Trump firms“ violates general contracting safeguards against bias and preferential treatment.”
“While we know contracts are often steered to friendly companies, this is the first time I have seen such political bias in writing,” she told the Guardian.
There have been rumors that Corey Lewandowski and Kristi Noem’s relationship goes beyond the office.
Andrew Cabello-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
In a statement to the Beast, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said it was natural for the department to seek out a consulting firm that is ideologically aligned with the administration.
“It is not surprising that the Department of Homeland Security, which has proved to be an excellent steward of taxpayer dollars under the Trump administration, would require any organization tasked with public affairs not only be proven to do the job but also be aligned with the agency’s mission,” she said.
The statement added, “The contract specifically called for the in-depth knowledge of the current administration’s platform, policies, and priorities as well as technical expertise in communications and media services, with a clear understanding of DHS priorities and the administration’s objectives.”
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Unlock a year of full access to The Looker and The Daily Beast for $35.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…