‘I Will Not Answer Any More of These Questions!’ Tom Homan Bristles at Kristen Welker Confronting Him About Alleged $50K Payoff

‘I Will Not Answer Any More of These Questions!’ Tom Homan Bristles at Kristen Welker Confronting Him About Alleged $50K Payoff

Joe DePaolo

Sun, January 11, 2026 at 5:02 PM UTC

3 min read

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Border Czar Tom Homan quickly grew impatient with Kristen Welker questioning him about reports that he allegedly accepted a $50,000 payoff from undercover FBI agents.

In a tense exchange on Meet the Press, Welker — who devoted most of her questioning to Wednesday’s fatal shooting by an ICE agent in Minneapolis — took the opportunity to press the border czar about a topic on which he’s subjected himself to very little scrutiny in confrontational interviews.

“As you know, in an undercover operation in 2024, the FBI recorded you accepting a bag, which was determined to contain $50,000 from agents posing as business executives who said you indicated you could help win government contracts in the second Trump administration,” Welker said. “I want to stress there was an investigation. It was closed, last year. The Justice Department said it found, ‘No credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing.’ I do want to give you an opportunity to respond, though, Mr. Homan. Where is that $50,000? Did you keep it or did you return it?”

“I didn’t take $50,000 from anybody,” Homan said — flatly denying that he accepted the cash. “And that’s a question for the FBI. I’m not going to give this story any more air. Bottom line, I did nothing illegal. I did nothing. And the FBI and DOJ reviewed this. No credible evidence I did anything, because I didn’t do anything illegal.”

Welker pressed the border czar.

“But was there $50,000 in the bag and did you return it?” Welker

Homan bristled at the follow-up.

“Kristen, I’m not giving the story any more air,” Homan replied. “This is an attack on my integrity and my professionalism. I’m not addressing it. That’s a question with the FBI.

Welker noted reports that there are FBI tapes of the alleged payoff.

“Can you address, given that it’s been recorded, did you keep the money?” Welker asked. “Did you return the money?”

“I did not keep any,” Homan responded. “Fifty-thousand dollars is ridiculous. And it irritates me, this story keeps going on, and on, and on, even though I’ve been found with nothing inappropriate. So I will not answer any more of these questions!”

“But did you return the money?” Welker asked.

“I didn’t have any money to return,” Homan said. “I didn’t take the $50,000, bottom line.”

Welker then pressed Homan on the issue of the reported tapes.

“You’re saying you did nothing unlawful. Would you be comfortable with the FBI releasing the recordings?”

“That’s a decision for the FBI,” Homan replied.

“It might be a decision for the FBI, but would you be comfortable if they release those recordings?” Welker asked.

“I get it,” Homan said. “I’m not getting ahead of the FBI in this investigation.”

“But can you just say, on a personal level, would you be comfortable releasing the recordings?” Welker asked.

“I am not going to get ahead of the FBI,” Homan said. “That’s their decision.”

Watch above, via NBC.

The post ‘I Will Not Answer Any More of These Questions!’ Tom Homan Bristles at Kristen Welker Confronting Him About Alleged $50K Payoff first appeared on Mediaite.

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