Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem holds a press conference in Otay Mesa, San Diego, California, February 12, 2026. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Homeland Security staffers are not done attacking their disgraced ex-boss, Kristi Noem. Speaking with The Daily Beast for a new report, "top officials" revealed that they were driven "to extremes" to try and hide their conversations from the former secretary, revealing that an overtly "toxic" environment led many to fear they were being watched.
According to "one experienced staffer," Noem and her informal lieutenant, Corey Lewandowski, created the "most toxic" work environment they had ever experienced at DHS's headquarters in Washington, D.C., riddled with "distrust, abuse, and corruption." Because of this, sources revealed how "top ICE bosses" took extreme measures "to mask their private discussions, amid fears they were being monitored."
These measures involved the use of a high-tech "sound machine" gadget, which the outlet likened to a piece of espionage out of a James Bond film.
"The contraptions create certain noises that protect sensitive conversations by preventing eavesdropping or recording," the Daily Beast explained in its report.
This tactic was particularly prevalent during the early days of Noem's tenure with the agency, when the fears about surveillance were high.
The Daily Beast noted that these revelations from their sources match up with a Washington Examiner report from last week, which revealed that CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott resorted to using special "Faraday bags," which use metal linings to block electromagnetic signals, to shield his electronics from surveillance. Scott was reported to be targeted by Noem and Lewandowski, who wanted him gone, leaving him in a highly "paranoid" state of mind.
“I had never seen that outside of the intel community, where somebody’s putting their phones in a bag so they’re not emanating and can’t be monitored,” an anonymous source told the Examiner. “I went ahead and put my phone in the bag, and that’s when we had the conversation.”
"As the Daily Beast has reported, insiders said the 'knives were out' for Noem and Lewandowski after their ousting, with questions swirling around the contracting scandal that helped topple them and has sparked a civil war between DHS and the White House," the report added. "Lewandowski has been accused of directing massive DHS contracts to companies owned by his allies and making requests for firms to pay him as a consultant in order to secure them. Lewandowski denies the claims."
