The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded a $250,000 (£200,000) public relations contract to a Republican political consultancy with ties to Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. The contract was awarded after the department demanded partisan loyalty from applicants, in a departure from standard federal procurement guidelines, according to records reviewed by the Guardian.
The contract, posted on 26 September 2025, sought “public affairs consulting services” to provide strategic counsel to top DHS officials, including Secretary Kristi Noem. The work included ensuring media outlets “in alignment with DHS priorities” were present at Noem’s appearances, drafting position papers, and devising negotiation strategies focused on border security, immigration enforcement, and cyber defence.
The job description explicitly required “an established track record of promoting Trump administration policies” and gave preference to those with prior experience in cabinet-level communications during the first Trump presidency. Four days later, the contract was awarded to American Made Media Company (AMMC) LLC, a firm formed in early 2025 by veterans of Trump’s campaigns, including Sean Dollman, Nick Trainer, and Justin Clark.
AMMC is a partisan Republican firm with no record of past government work. Its partners have worked alongside Lewandowski, now a senior adviser to Secretary Noem, who reportedly wields significant control over DHS contracts. Tim Murtaugh, Trump’s 2020 communications director, said he was working on the contract through AMMC and that the department “naturally prefer to engage firms that already support the mission”.
The contract came after reports that Lewandowski was involved in green-lighting six-figure contracts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) and directing personnel and contracting at DHS. The award has raised concerns about transparency and adherence to federal procurement rules.
