President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan erupted Sunday after NBC News’ Kristen Welker pressed him on an alleged $50,000 cash bribe he reportedly took in exchange for dishing out government contracts to private prisons.
Last September, it was revealed that Homan had been ensnared in an FBI probe in 2024, and was being investigated by the agency for allegedly accepting a $50,000 cash bribe from undercover FBI agents in exchange for promising to award private prisons lucrative government contracts under the second Trump administration.
While the investigation was closed in 2025, Welker asked Homan whether he did, in fact, keep the alleged $50,000 bribe or whether he returned it, a question that didn’t sit well with Trump’s border czar.
“I didn't take $50,000 from anybody, and that's a question for the FBI – I'm not gonna give this story any more air!” Homan said. “Bottom line: I did nothing illegal, I did nothing... uh... and the FBI and DOJ reviewed this... no credible evidence I did anything because I didn't do anything illegal.”
Welker pressed Homan on the matter, only for Homan to erupt further.
“I'm not giving this story any more air!” Homan said. “This is an attack on my integrity and my professionalism, I'm not addressing it! That's a question for the FBI.”
Again, Welker continued to press Homan on the issue, which Homan continued to grow more irritated with.
“I did not keep... $50,000 is ridiculous!” he continued. “And it irritates me this story keeps going on and on and on even though I've been found that nothing inappropriate, so I'm not gonna answer anymore of these questions.”
Welker asked Homan again whether he returned the alleged $50,000 bribe, and finally got a more direct answer.
“I didn't have any money to return!” Homan said. “I didn't take the $50,000, bottom line.”
Given his new declarative statement – that he had not accepted the alleged $50,000 bribe, Welker then asked if he’d be comfortable with the FBI releasing documents related to investigation, a question that Homan shut down immediately, saying he didn’t want to “get ahead” of the FBI. Welker asked the same question twice more, and both times, Homan refused to answer.
WELKER: Where is that $50,000? Did you keep it?
HOMAN: I didn't take $50k from anybody and that's a question for the FBI. I'm not giving this story more air. Bottom line I did nothing illegal.
WELKER: But was there $50k in the bag?
HOMAN: I'm not addressing it
WELKER: But did… pic.twitter.com/t1oFthCJd6
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 11, 2026