Senior DHS officials held a secret six-hour crisis meeting about Kristi Noem’s alleged affair, and a new book exposes just how bad it got

A new book is set to reveal that top Department of Homeland Security officials held a secret six-hour meeting at a private residence in Washington, D.C., shortly after President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term. The meeting centered on what they called a “gathering crisis” within the department: the alleged relationship between Secretary Kristi Noem and her senior aide, Corey Lewandowski.

The book, titled Undue Process: The Inside Story of Trump’s Mass Deportation Program, is written by Julia Ainsley. Early excerpts show that senior officials were seriously worried about how the alleged affair between Noem, 54, and Lewandowski, 52, was affecting the agency. According to The Daily Beast, this was happening while officials were simultaneously under heavy pressure to carry out President Trump’s mass deportation policies.

Lewandowski, who served as Noem’s top aide and de facto chief of staff, is described in the book as a “menacing, omnipresent operator” who had no experience in immigration enforcement but quickly consolidated power at the agency. Officials were reportedly reluctant to question him, fearing retaliation or being fired. One CBP official told Ainsley that Noem would ask, “Why is everyone so quiet?” when it was clear people were afraid to speak up.

The department’s own response confirms the secret meeting took place

The Department of Homeland Security responded to a request for comment with several rebuttals. At the six-hour secret meeting, they did not deny it happened, but said, “How unproductive, these people are not busy enough implementing the President’s agenda and have the time for a 6-hour meeting on drama they have manufactured themselves.”

On the alleged relationship, which both deny, the department called it a “tired narrative,” adding, “This Department doesn’t waste time with salacious, baseless gossip, we have actual work to do keeping the American homeland and its citizens safe.” It is worth noting that DHS has faced scrutiny on other fronts as well, including how DHS restrictions impacted FEMA’s disaster relief activities during a government shutdown.

Beyond the alleged relationship, Lewandowski’s conduct at DHS raised further concerns. A report published earlier this month included an account of him firing a Coast Guard pilot over a forgotten blanket, only for the pilot to be rehired because no one else could fly them home.

The same report revealed that Noem and Lewandowski were traveling on a luxury jet designated for “high-profile deportations,” which had a private cabin. Lewandowski also reportedly sought a law-enforcement badge and a federally issued gun without proper training. While both continue to deny any relationship, reports about the “worst-kept secret in D.C.” have kept emerging.

President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, “I don’t know about that. I mean, I haven’t heard that.” However, sources said his private behavior tells a different story, Trump reportedly shares an anecdote about Lewandowski and Noem drinking from the same can of soda, saying, “You can’t do that, it’s pretty obvious! You can’t do that, everyone’s going to know!”