Corey Lewandowski fired pilot for leaving Kristi Noem’s blanket on plane as sources say pair ‘spending nights regularly’ together; New York Post, February 13, 2026

Steven Nelson, New York Post ; Corey Lewandowski fired pilot for leaving Kristi Noem’s blanket on plane as sources say pair ‘spending nights regularly’ together

"Corey Lewandowski fired a Coast Guard pilot for leaving Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s blanket on a plane — but was forced to rehire them upon realizing there was nobody else to fly the party home, according to a stunning new report.

Lewandowski, an unpaid special government employee who unofficially acts as chief of staff for Noem — with whom he’s had a years-long affair — has overseen a reign of terror over department workers since President Trump took office last year.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Noem had to switch planes during an official trip due to a maintenance issue, but her blanket was not moved to the replacement aircraft.

Lewandowski fired the pilot and told them to find a commercial flight home when they reached their destination, only to reinstate them due to the lack of a backup."