A senior aide to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her alleged lover entered the cockpit of a government aircraft without permission last year before firing a U.S. Coast Guard pilot over a missing blanket. This incident has raised new questions about conduct within the Department of Homeland Security.
Corey Lewandowski, a long-time Trump ally and senior adviser in the department, entered the cockpit of a government jet during a flight with Noem, according to sources. This happened while the aircraft was still climbing and had not yet reached its cruising altitude of 10,000 feet, with the seatbelt sign still on.
After the September 11, 2001, attacks, federal aviation rules tightened to limit cockpit access during take-off and other critical flight phases. Although U.S. Coast Guard aircraft are not legally bound by Federal Aviation Administration regulations known as the “sterile cockpit” rule, the Coast Guard’s operations manual includes similar restrictions against distracting crew members during important flight operations.
In a text message to Reuters, Lewandowski denied that any discussion took place in the cockpit during take-off, stating, “There was never a conversation in the cockpit when the flight was taking off.” He did not directly address whether he entered the cockpit during the climb.
The flight involved a government Gulfstream jet operated by the U.S. Coast Guard. According to people familiar with the matter, the group switched aircraft due to a technical issue before take-off, leaving Noem’s blanket behind inadvertently. Later in the flight, when the pilot entered the cabin, Lewandowski asked who should be fired over the missing item. The pilot, an experienced aviator, took responsibility for the oversight, and Lewandowski fired him immediately.
Once the aircraft reached its destination, Coast Guard leadership realized the crew needed the pilot to return to the Washington area. The Coast Guard reinstated the pilot after deciding his services were necessary, according to sources. Reuters could not confirm the reason for his reinstatement independently.
Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the Coast Guard responded to requests for comments on the pilot’s firing and reinstatement. The FAA also declined to comment.
The incident surfaced amid increased scrutiny of tensions within DHS. Previous reports by The Wall Street Journal described conflicts between Noem, Lewandowski, and senior DHS officials, highlighting disputes over personnel decisions and the adviser’s role in the department. Some officials have questioned Lewandowski’s influence as a “special government employee,” a designation that permits him to work limited days under federal law.
Aviation safety expert Randy Klatt from The Foundation for Aviation Safety noted that entering a cockpit during the initial climb is particularly dangerous because aircraft are “low and slow,” meaning there is less altitude available to handle unexpected issues.
Noem, the former governor of South Dakota, is responsible for the nation’s immigration enforcement as DHS secretary. She has been a key figure in the Trump administration’s strict border policies and faced criticism regarding the use of Coast Guard resources for immigration operations and the department’s management style.
The cockpit incident highlights ongoing worries about following protocols and decision-making within DHS’s upper ranks, with one controversy after another.
