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Leaked DHS messages show Corey Lewandowski’s role under Kristi Noem

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 3 outlets, all left-leaning.

3 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Woman in navy blazer speaking at microphone before blue backdrop with DHS seal and flag
Image via Raw StoryHow images are chosenReport this image

Raw Story, The New Republic and The Daily Beast report that leaked emails and Signal messages show Corey Lewandowski played a larger role at the Department of Homeland Security under Kristi Noem than his status as an unpaid special government employee suggested. The outlets say the messages, obtained by the nonprofit American Oversight through a Freedom of Information Act request, show Lewandowski helped plan third-country deportations and weighed in on the deportation of Kilmar Ábrego García to El Salvador. The Daily Beast reports that Lewandowski was at the department from January 2025 to March 2026. Noem and Lewandowski have denied an alleged affair, according to The Daily Beast.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Leaked emails and Signal messages, obtained by the nonprofit American Oversight, show Corey Lewandowski had a larger role at DHS than his status as an unpaid “special government employee” suggested.

    One side only: the leftReported byFar Left3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story, The New Republic, The Daily Beast
  2. According to the reporting, Lewandowski helped plan third-country deportations.

    One side only: the leftReported byFar Left2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story, The New Republic
  3. The messages reportedly show Lewandowski weighed in on the planned deportation of Kilmar Ábrego García to El Salvador.

    One side only: the leftReported byFar Left2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story, The New Republic
  4. Lewandowski was at the department from January 2025 to March 2026 and was described as Noem’s “de facto chief of staff.”

    One outletThe Daily Beast· Far Left

  5. Noem and Lewandowski have denied a rumored affair, according to the reporting.

    One outletThe Daily Beast· Far Left

How each side tells it

Compare views

Raw Story, The New Republic and The Daily Beast all report leaked DHS emails and Signal messages showing Corey Lewandowski had a larger role under Kristi Noem than his special-employee status suggests. Only left-side coverage is present, and it frames the messages as a story of outsized influence over DHS.

  • the left

    3 outlets

    All three left-side headlines frame the messages as a scandal of outsized influence, using words like bombshell, expose, grip and ran DHS; Raw Story and The Daily Beast also lead with the relationship.

    Leaked Texts Loaded verb“Expose”The verb implies wrongdoing was uncovered, which the messages alone do not establish.More neutral: ShowDisagree with this highlight? How Kristi Noem’s Vague attribution“Rumored”Publishes a rumor while disclaiming it.More neutral: report only what can be confirmed, or name the source of the rumorDisagree with this highlight? Boyfriend Loaded verb“Ran DHS”Saying he ran the department states a contested reading of his role as fact.More neutral: Had a major role at DHSDisagree with this highlight?
    The New RepublicFar LeftAll left-leaning headlines
  • the center

    No coverage yet

    No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the right

    No coverage yet

    No right-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left8

    rumoredGripICE Barbiecrossed both professional and personal lines

  • Center

    Has not covered this story.

  • Right

    Has not covered this story.

In the outlets’ own words

  • Vague attribution

    rumoredMore neutral: report only what can be confirmed, or name the source of the rumor

    Publishes a rumor while disclaiming it.

    …role in the Department of Homeland Security when it was led by Kristi Noem, his rumored lover, internal emails and Signal messages show.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)The New Republic (Far Left)Raw Story (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    GripMore neutral: role

    The word dramatizes the extent of influence beyond what the messages are described as showing.

    Leaked Messages Reveal Grip of ICE Barbie’s Lover

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    ICE BarbieMore neutral: Kristi Noem

    The derisive nickname pre-judges Noem through a mocking label rather than her title.

    Leaked Messages Reveal Grip of ICE Barbie’s Lover

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    crossed both professional and personal linesMore neutral: involved both professional and personal matters

    The phrase passes judgement on the relationship rather than describing what the messages show.

    …with senior adviser and rumored boyfriend Corey Lewandowski crossed both professional and personal lines.

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

Show 4 more phrasesShow fewer
  • Loaded verb

    ExposeMore neutral: Show

    The verb implies wrongdoing was uncovered, which the messages alone do not establish.

    Leaked Texts Expose How Kristi Noem’s Rumored Boyfriend Ran DHS

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    Ran DHSMore neutral: Had a major role at DHS

    Saying he ran the department states a contested reading of his role as fact.

    Leaked Texts Expose How Kristi Noem’s Rumored Boyfriend Ran DHS

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    BombshellMore neutral: Leaked

    The word manufactures drama before the contents of the leak are described.

    Bombshell leak shows secret grip Kristi Noem's rumored boyfriend had over DHS

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    secret gripMore neutral: influence

    Calling the influence secret and a grip pre-judges how it was exercised.

    Bombshell leak shows secret grip Kristi Noem's rumored boyfriend had over DHS

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

3 outlets

Leads with

  • Lewandowski’s influence beyond his special-employee status
  • Deportation planning and the Ábrego García case
  • Rumored relationship with Noem
See the 3 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • Raw StoryFar Left

    Sensational language“Bombshell”The word manufactures drama before the contents of the leak are described.More neutral: LeakedDisagree with this highlight? leak shows Loaded modifier“secret grip”Calling the influence secret and a grip pre-judges how it was exercised.More neutral: influenceDisagree with this highlight? Kristi Noem's Vague attribution“rumored”Publishes a rumor while disclaiming it.More neutral: report only what can be confirmed, or name the source of the rumorDisagree with this highlight? boyfriend had over DHS

    Leaked emails and Signal messages have revealed that former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's Vague attribution“rumored”Publishes a rumor while disclaiming it.More neutral: report only what can be confirmed, or name the source of the rumorDisagree with this highlight? boyfriend, Corey Lewandowski, was more involved with the Department of Homeland Security than previously known, according to reports. …

  • Leaked Texts Loaded verb“Expose”The verb implies wrongdoing was uncovered, which the messages alone do not establish.More neutral: ShowDisagree with this highlight? How Kristi Noem’s Vague attribution“Rumored”Publishes a rumor while disclaiming it.More neutral: report only what can be confirmed, or name the source of the rumorDisagree with this highlight? Boyfriend Loaded verb“Ran DHS”Saying he ran the department states a contested reading of his role as fact.More neutral: Had a major role at DHSDisagree with this highlight?

    Former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s relationship with senior adviser and Vague attribution“rumored”Publishes a rumor while disclaiming it.More neutral: report only what can be confirmed, or name the source of the rumorDisagree with this highlight? boyfriend Corey Lewandowski Loaded modifier“crossed both professional and personal lines”The phrase passes judgement on the relationship rather than describing what the messages show.More neutral: involved both professional and personal mattersDisagree with this highlight?. …

  • Leaked Messages Reveal Sensational language“Grip”The word dramatizes the extent of influence beyond what the messages are described as showing.More neutral: roleDisagree with this highlight? of Loaded modifier“ICE Barbie”The derisive nickname pre-judges Noem through a mocking label rather than her title.More neutral: Kristi NoemDisagree with this highlight?’s Lover

    Corey Lewandowski had a prominent decision-making role in the Department of Homeland Security when it was led by Kristi Noem, his Vague attribution“rumored”Publishes a rumor while disclaiming it.More neutral: report only what can be confirmed, or name the source of the rumorDisagree with this highlight? lover, internal emails and Signal messages show. …

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

0 outlets

No right-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    The Daily Beast, Nov 12, 8:40 PM EST

  • Center

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Right

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The Daily BeastFar LeftNov 12, 8:40 PM EST
  2. The New RepublicFar LeftNov 13, 10:42 AM EST
  3. Raw StoryFar LeftNov 13, 3:32 PM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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