Did Tom Homan really take a $50,000 bribe? What did he give in return for the money?
Executive summary
Multiple news outlets reported that Tom Homan was recorded accepting $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents during a 2024 sting that probed whether he would steer government contracts in a second Trump administration; the Justice Department later closed the probe without charging him [1] [2]. Reporting and congressional Democrats say the buy was in a Cava bag and that Homan allegedly promised to help the agents win contracts; Homan and the White House have denied he took a bribe and the administration closed the investigation [3] [1] [2].
1. What the reporting says: a recorded handoff, alleged promise of contracts
Contemporaneous reporting by Reuters, MSNBC and others says FBI undercover agents posing as business executives gave Homan a bag containing $50,000 in cash, and that on tape he discussed helping those executives obtain immigration- or border‑security-related government contracts if Trump returned to office [1] [4] [5]. Democrats and oversight figures cite internal DOJ notes and recordings that they say show both the cash handoff and Homan agreeing to use influence to steer contracts [4] [6].
2. Homan and the White House responses: denials and shifting language
Homan has publicly rejected the characterization that he took a bribe, saying he “did nothing wrong” and at times denying he accepted $50,000; White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially said he “never took the money” before framing the episode as an FBI sting operation [7] [3]. Administration officials later confirmed an investigation existed but defended the decision to end it [2].
3. Why the Justice Department closed the probe — competing explanations
Reporting shows the Biden-era FBI recorded the exchange and considered charges including conspiracy and bribery, but the case was closed after political transitions; sources cited by The New York Times and Forbes say investigators doubted they could prove bribery to a jury and/or that the probe was shut prematurely when the Trump administration moved in and agency leadership changed [2] [3]. Congressional Democrats and some critics allege political interference and a cover-up by the incoming administration to protect an ally [8] [9].
4. What Homan allegedly gave in return — promises, not immediate contracts
Available reporting does not show Homan delivering on any contracts before he assumed his White House role; instead, the allegation centers on promises or statements that he would help the undercover agents win contracts once placed in power — the conduct alleged is an agreement to misuse official influence in the future rather than an immediate exchange of government work [1] [2]. DOJ investigators reportedly considered charges like “conspiracy to commit bribery,” which target the agreement itself as criminal [10].
5. Evidence and public records: recordings, cash, and what remains unseen
Multiple sources report video and audio exist showing the handoff in a Cava takeout bag and Homan on tape accepting the cash [4] [1] [5]. Congressional Democrats have demanded DOJ and FBI release those recordings; DOJ leadership in the Trump administration has declined full disclosure in public testimony, and questions remain about the physical $50,000 — what happened to the bills has been a point of contention in hearings [4] [11].
6. Political context and stakes: contracting money and oversight pressure
Critics warn the allegations matter because Homan’s role touches billions in border security contracting, and oversight committees have pressed for testimony and documents while Democrats call the shutdown of the investigation a symptom of a politicized Justice Department [6] [8]. Supporters of Homan and administration officials characterize the reporting as incomplete entrapment claims and stress that he was never charged [2] [7].
7. Limits of available reporting and unanswered questions
Available sources document the alleged cash handoff and recorded statements but differ on prosecutorial conclusions: some cite internal doubts about proving bribery to a jury, others describe an early and politically driven shutdown [2] [3]. Sources do not provide a full public accounting of whether the $50,000 was recovered, the entirety of the investigative file, or all recordings; Democrats have demanded release, and DOJ has not made all materials public [4] [11].
Bottom line: multiple reputable outlets report an undercover FBI sting in which Homan was recorded taking $50,000 and allegedly promising to help win government contracts; Homan denies wrongdoing, no charges were filed, and the investigation was closed amid disputed explanations about evidentiary doubts and possible political intervention [1] [7] [2].