Trump says his people have to be prosecuted if they are not honest, when asked about the Lewandowski review
Donald TrumpPresident of the United States, speaking to reporters
Asked about the reported Justice Department review of Lewandowski, President Trump says he had just heard about the matter and had not been briefed by Attorney General Todd Blanche, and that his people have to be prosecuted if they are not honest.
“I want my people to be honest, and if they're not going to be honest, they have to be prosecuted.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
DOJ reviews allegations that Corey Lewandowski profited from his DHS role, reports say; he denies wrongdoing
CBS News and The Wall Street Journal reported on October 22, 2026 that the Justice Department is looking into allegations that Corey Lewandowski used his position at the Department of Homeland Security for financial gain, after a referral from the DHS inspector general. Lewandowski denies wrongdoing and has not been charged. President Trump said his people have to be prosecuted if they are not honest.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
CBS News reports, citing two sources, that the Justice Department is looking into allegations about Lewandowski's DHS role, with statements from his attorney and from President Trump.
Before the quotation
CBS News reports that Trump, asked about the reported investigation on Thursday, said he had just heard about the matter and had not been briefed by Attorney General Todd Blanche.
After the quotation
CBS News reports that Trump said he viewed dishonesty as harming the country and him personally, and that he also said a person who is not honest has to pay a price.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case concerns allegations that Lewandowski used his DHS role for personal gain. Trump does not assess the allegations; he says his people must be honest and must be prosecuted if they are not, a response that depends on what the facts show.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Corey Lewandowski
More from this case
Read the full caseLewandowski calls the Journal's DHS report anonymous-source, politically driven reporting
“This latest Wall Street Journal story, a once great publication, is today just another example of the kind of anonymous-source, politically driven reporting that Americans have seen time and again.”Read statement
American Oversight says Lewandowski evaded transparency rules while shaping DHS policy and contracts
American Oversight
“Lewandowski has evaded basic transparency and oversight requirements while reportedly exercising sweeping influence over policy, contracts, and personnel decisions.”Read statement
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- Trump says his people have to be prosecuted if they are not honest, when asked about the Lewandowski review
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The Dispute Index. "Trump says his people have to be prosecuted if they are not honest, when asked about the Lewandowski review". First published: 2026-10-27. Last updated: 2026-10-27. https://disputeindex.com/events/6980-asked-about-the-reported-justice-department-review-of