Senior DHS Aide Accused of Entering Cockpit Mid-Flight, Firing Pilot Over Missing Blanket

A senior adviser to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is accused of entering the cockpit of a government jet during ascent and later firing a pilot over a missing personal item, according to two people familiar with the incident.

Corey Lewandowski, a "special government employee" who advises Noem, allegedly entered the cockpit uninvited while the aircraft was still climbing and below 10,000 feet, when pilots are expected to limit distractions. A U.S. Coast Guard aviation policy states that "no person shall engage in any conversation or activity that could distract or interfere with a flight crewmember properly conducting their assigned duties during critical phases of flight."

The Coast Guard operated the aircraft.

Lewandowski denied key elements of the account, telling Reuters that "there was never a conversation in the cockpit when the flight was taking off," and said the sources' description was wrong. He did not answer questions about whether he entered the cockpit during ascent.

According to the two sources, pilots asked Lewandowski to return to the cabin until cruising altitude. Later in the flight, they said, Lewandowski demanded to know who should be fired after Noem's blanket was missing following a plane change for technical reasons. The pilot reportedly accepted responsibility and was dismissed on the spot.

Coast Guard leadership later reinstated the pilot because he was needed for the return flight, the sources said. DHS and the Coast Guard declined to comment. Aviation safety officials say the climb phase is especially sensitive. Randy Klatt of The Foundation for Aviation Safety told The Independent aircraft are "low and slow" during initial ascent, calling it "a vulnerable situation for any aircraft."

The allegation comes amid broader tensions involving Noem and Coast Guard leadership. According to current and former officials cited by NBC News last week, directives during her tenure shifted aviation resources toward immigration enforcement flights, at times straining units. One official said described an internal climate in which personnel felt pressure to "keep your head down."

The White House has referred questions about Lewandowski and internal DHS tensions to prior statements praising Noem and expressing confidence in her leadership.