Trump DOJ shut bribery case against ally Homan

Homan 'was collecting bribes in exchange for future government contracts'

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)

What happened

The Justice Department suspended and then closed a bribery investigation into President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, that was launched after undercover FBI agents recorded him accepting a $50,000 bag of cash while promising future immigration-related contracts, The Washington Post, Reuters and MSNBC reported over the weekend.

Trump, meanwhile, “all but ordered” Attorney General Pam Bondi to “prosecute his political foes in a series of weekend posts,” The Wall Street Journal said.

Who said what

The FBI set up the September 2024 sting after the target of an unrelated investigation “repeatedly brought up Homan, saying he was collecting bribes in exchange for future government contracts,” Reuters said. With video of Homan taking the cash, “several FBI and Justice officials” believed they had a “strong criminal case” for “conspiracy to commit bribery,” which only requires proving intent, MSNBC said, citing four sources.

FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche Sunday said the investigation was shuttered after a “full review by FBI agents” and prosecutors “found no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing.” The White House said Homan did not handle contracts.

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What next?

Trump said Saturday on social media he was appointing White House adviser Lindsey Halligan, a former personal lawyer, to be U.S. attorney in Virginia, after forcing out his previous appointee, Erik Siebert, on Friday. Trump criticized “woke RINO” Siebert for declining to file charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey. James, Comey and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) are “all guilty as hell,” and “we can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” Trump wrote in a post Saturday directed to “Pam.” “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.