Kristi Noem's alleged lover fired pilot over a mystery bag, not a blanket-insider

In May of last year, Lewandowski allegedly sneaked into the cockpit of a government aircraft in search of what was purported to be Noem's cherished heated blanket

It has come to light that Kristi Noem's alleged lover Corey Lewandowski's decision to fire a pilot during a breakdown aboard a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft wasn't actually over a blanket.

Despite being married and having kids, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and de facto chief of staff Lewandowski's relationship has been dubbed "the worst-kept secret in D.C."

In May of last year, Lewandowski allegedly sneaked into the cockpit of a government aircraft in search of what was purported to be Noem's cherished heated blanket, which had been abandoned when the pair switched planes after their first one broke down. When Lewandowski allegedly spoke to the pilot, the aircraft had risen to 10,000 feet and the seatbelt indicator was still in place.

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According to reports quoted by NBC, he threatened to fire the Coast Guard flight crew and then tried to fire the pilot for not going back to the other plane to get Noem's belongings. According to the account, he only gave in after the pilot pointed out that if he were fired from his position, someone else would need to be found to fly the aircraft.

However, according to three DHS insiders cited in recent Daily Mail reporting, it was a mystery bag rather than a blanket that was abandoned.

“This was never about a blanket,” an insider with knowledge of the incident told the Daily Mail. “The blanket was a cover story for what really happened. The whole thing was really about the bag that was left.”

According to the Mail, which cited sources, Lewandowski had found that at least two people knew what was in Noem's luggage, which could be embarrassing.

The article also noted that the sacked pilot, Keith Thomas, a commanding officer for the Coast Guard in Washington, was eventually elevated to the position of senior adviser at DHS.

Kamryn Jones, Noem's assistant on the notorious flight in May of last year, received a Legion of Merit medal from her supervisor in September of last year.

“I am so proud of the patriots who serve our country and the DHS mission, including Lieutenant Commander Kamryn Jones of the U.S. Coast Guard,” Noem posted on Instagram. “I was honored to present her with the Legion of Merit for her extraordinary dedication as a military aide.”

Since starting their positions at DHS, Noem and Lewandowski have both continued to reduce staff, dismissing or demoting almost 80% of the former professional ICE field leadership.

According to persons with knowledge of the situation who spoke to the site, they have recently been traveling the nation in a luxurious 737 MAX aircraft with a private cabin in the back.

The DHS is currently leasing the aircraft, but it is in the process of paying about $70 million to buy it. Prior to this, the secretary was transported by the department using other aircraft via the Coast Guard or other organizations.

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