Tom Homan’s TV hot seat turned blistering when the president’s border czar was pressed, in front of a Kennedy Center audience, about a bombshell allegation that he pocketed $50,000 from an undercover FBI agent. After weeks of insisting he did “nothing illegal,” Homan shifted into full denial on Wednesday, telling moderator Bill O’Reilly at a NewsNation town hall, “I didn’t take $50,000 from anybody.” He added that he had “no idea” how the story entered the mainstream and called the coverage a series of “hit pieces.”
What makes the denial so combustible is the paper trail that has piled up in public. Reports last month said internal FBI documents show Homan accepted the money in September 2024 during a sting, with agents posing as would-be contractors seeking help “facilitating” immigration deals in a future Trump administration. According to the reports, the FBI and Justice Department waited to move until Homan formally took office, then the inquiry was abruptly closed after FBI Director Kash Patel requested a status update, a decision made by a Trump appointee, not career officials.
Homan’s on-camera denial marks a shift from earlier interviews where he pushed back on wrongdoing without flatly rejecting the cash allegation. Observers noted the pivot, pointing out that his latest comments are his clearest rejection to date. Homan reiterated that he recused himself from contracting matters because of a prior consulting business and took a pay cut to serve.
Bill O’Reilly asked Tom Homan if he wanted to clarify anything about the $50,000 bribe in front of a live audience.
The Border Czar looked O’Reilly dead in the eyes and said:
“I didn’t take $50,000 from anybody.”
Then Homan revealed something that those accusing him of taking… pic.twitter.com/nTsyP8xNE0
— Overton (@overton_news) October 16, 2025
The White House is standing by him. Officials have dismissed the undercover operation as politically motivated and say there is no credible evidence of a crime. Sources close to the administration say the probe existed but argue it found nothing chargeable, while Homan blasted the coverage as agenda-driven.
Still, the narrative keeps getting worse for the border boss. Reports indicate that investigators have audio from the sting and internal notes marking the payment as accepted. Homan initially avoided a straight denial, then switched to a categorical one when confronted on a national stage. The unresolved question is simple: did the cash change hands or not? And if investigators believed it did, why was the case shut down once Homan entered government?
Outside the political trench war, watchdogs are pressing for transparency. A recent lawsuit seeks the release of records about the sting, the decision-making inside the Justice Department, and the communications that led to the closure. The filing cites multiple outlets that have referenced or followed portions of the allegations.
Homan, for his part, leaned into grievance. He told the town hall he has faced hostile coverage since returning to the administration, said he immediately recused himself from contracts on day one, and insisted he is “not enriching” himself in office. He also repeated the line that he took a significant pay cut to serve, a talking point meant to counter the very charge at issue that he sold access for cash.
A televised denial from a top official and a stack of investigative breadcrumbs that refuse to go away. If future disclosures confirm a payment, the fallout will be immediate. If not, Homan and the White House will call the story smoke without fire. For now, one thing is certain the border czar’s credibility test just played out live, under the lights, with his denial on the record at last.
