History of Corey Lewandowski in Timeline

Corey Lewandowski is an American political operative, lobbyist, commentator, and author best known for his close association with Donald Trump. He served as the initial campaign manager for Trump's 2016 presidential campaign but was later dismissed. Following his campaign role, Lewandowski transitioned into media, working as a political commentator for networks like OANN and Fox News, maintaining his presence in the political sphere.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

September 18, 1973: Corey Lewandowski Born

On September 18, 1973, Corey R. Lewandowski was born. He later became an American political operative, lobbyist, political commentator, and author.

Others born on this day/year

1991: Graduates High School

In 1991, Corey Lewandowski graduated from Lowell Catholic High School, a private college-preparatory school in Lowell.

1994: Runs for Massachusetts House Seat

In 1994, while an undergraduate student, Corey Lewandowski ran for a seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a write-in candidate in the Republican primary but lost the election.

1995: Graduates from the University of Massachusetts Lowell

In 1995, Corey Lewandowski graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a B.A. in political science.

January 1996: Aide for Congressman

From January 1996 to January 1997, Corey Lewandowski worked as an aide for Republican Massachusetts Congressman Peter G. Torkildsen, while a graduate student at American University.

January 1997: Aide for Congressman

From January 1996 to January 1997, Corey Lewandowski worked as an aide for Republican Massachusetts Congressman Peter G. Torkildsen, while a graduate student at American University. Also, while a student in 1997, Lewandowski interned for Massachusetts State Senator Steven C. Panagiotakos, a Democrat.

December 1997: Administrative Assistant for Bob Ney

From December 1997 to February 2001, Corey Lewandowski worked as an administrative assistant for Ohio Republican Bob Ney, a U.S. Congressman.

1997: Receives Master's Degree

In 1997, Corey Lewandowski received a master's degree in political science from American University in Washington, D.C.

1999: Arrested for Bringing Gun to Office Building

In 1999, while working for Ney, Corey Lewandowski was arrested for bringing a loaded handgun in a laundry bag into the Longworth House Office Building and charged with a misdemeanor. The charges were eventually dismissed.

2000: Sununu Fundraising Event

In 2000 Lewandowski cited contributions made by Washington lawyer George Salem to Sununu; Salem, who chaired Arab Americans for Bush-Cheney during the 2000 Bush/Cheney campaign, was the attorney for the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, which had its assets frozen by the U.S. government in 2001 on suspicion of ties to Hamas.

February 2001: Administrative Assistant for Bob Ney

From December 1997 to February 2001, Corey Lewandowski worked as an administrative assistant for Ohio Republican Bob Ney, a U.S. Congressman.

2001: Works for Republican National Committee

After leaving Ney's office, Corey Lewandowski worked for most of 2001 for the Republican National Committee as the Northeast legislative political director.

2001: Comments Interpreted as Suggesting Divided Loyalties

Lewandowski's comments regarding Sununu's fundraising and alleged ties to Hamas were interpreted as publicly suggesting that Sununu, who is of Lebanese descent, had divided loyalties in fighting terrorism in 2001.

2002: Campaign Manager for Robert C. Smith

In 2002, Corey Lewandowski was the campaign manager for the re-election campaign of U.S. Senator Robert C. Smith of New Hampshire.

2003: Executive Director of Seafood Producers Association

From 2003 to 2004, Corey Lewandowski was the executive director of the New England Seafood Producers Association.

September 2004: Director of Public Affairs at Schwartz MSL

From September 2004 until July 2012, Corey Lewandowski served as director of public affairs at Schwartz MSL, a strategic communication and engagement firm.

2004: Executive Director of Seafood Producers Association

From 2003 to 2004, Corey Lewandowski was the executive director of the New England Seafood Producers Association.

2006: Graduates Police Academy and Becomes Marine Patrol Officer

In 2006, Corey Lewandowski graduated from the New Hampshire police academy and worked from 2006 to 2010 as a seasonal marine patrol officer with the New Hampshire State Police.

2007: Letter of Leniency for Bob Ney

In 2007, before Bob Ney was sentenced on federal corruption charges, Corey Lewandowski wrote a letter to the presiding judge, asking for leniency in sentencing, describing Ney as a mentor and "surrogate father."

2008: Passport Systems secures funds

Between 2008 and 2011, Passport Systems secured more than $23.9 million in federal funds.

2008: Begins Working for Americans for Prosperity

In 2008, Corey Lewandowski began working for Americans for Prosperity, a Koch brothers-backed advocacy group.

2010: Marine Patrol Officer

From 2006 to 2010, Corey Lewandowski worked as a seasonal marine patrol officer with the New Hampshire State Police.

2010: Earmark for Borrego Solar

In 2010, Corey Lewandowski lobbied for Borrego Solar, helping to secure a $500,000 earmark in the 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Act that benefited a solar electricity project in Lancaster, Massachusetts, that Borrego was involved in.

2011: Lobbyist for Passport Systems

In 2011, Corey Lewandowski was registered as a lobbyist for Schwartz MSL on behalf of Passport Systems, lobbying on homeland security issues.

July 2012: Director of Public Affairs at Schwartz MSL

From September 2004 until July 2012, Corey Lewandowski served as director of public affairs at Schwartz MSL, a strategic communication and engagement firm.

2012: Runs for Town Treasurer

In 2012, while still working for Americans for Prosperity, Corey Lewandowski unsuccessfully ran for town treasurer of Windham, New Hampshire, and lost.

April 2014: First Meeting with Trump

Corey Lewandowski first met Donald Trump in April 2014 at a political event in New Hampshire.

January 2015: Leaves Americans for Prosperity

Corey Lewandowski held the position of national director of voter registration at Americans for Prosperity until January 2015.

January 2015: Hired as Trump Campaign Manager

In January 2015, Corey Lewandowski was invited to Trump Tower, where he accepted an offer from Donald Trump to become campaign manager. His salary was $20,000 per month.

August 2015: Nunberg Dismissed

In August 2015, Sam Nunberg was dismissed from Trump's political staff, reportedly at the request of Corey Lewandowski and Hope Hicks.

February 9, 2016: Trump Acknowledges Lewandowski's Role

On February 9, 2016, after a win in New Hampshire, Donald Trump acknowledged Corey Lewandowski's role in the win by praising his ground game.

March 8, 2016: Press Conference Altercation

On March 8, 2016, Michelle Fields approached Donald Trump with a question after a press conference in Jupiter, Florida. This led to an alleged incident where Corey Lewandowski forcefully moved her out of the way, an event which was reported by Fields on March 10, 2016.

March 10, 2016: Michelle Fields' Account of Altercation

On March 10, 2016, Michelle Fields, a reporter for Breitbart News, wrote that after a March 8, 2016 press conference, Corey Lewandowski forcefully moved her out of the way of the Trump entourage. Lewandowski was reported to be acting in response to a Secret Service pathway.

March 2016: Manafort Joins Trump Campaign

In March 2016, Paul Manafort joined the Trump campaign.

March 19, 2016: Criticism for Handling of Protester

On March 19, 2016, during a campaign event in Tucson, Arizona, Corey Lewandowski faced criticism for his handling of a protester. A video showed Lewandowski grabbing the protester by the collar, though this was denied by the campaign and Lewandowski himself.

April 2016: Influence Reported to be Waning

In April 2016, Corey Lewandowski's influence within the Trump campaign was reported to be waning.

April 2016: Manafort Hired

In April 2016, Paul Manafort was hired to Trump's political staff.

June 20, 2016: Legal Complaint Served to Trump Campaign

On the morning of June 20, 2016, the Trump campaign was served with a legal complaint from its North Carolina Digital Director, Vincent Bordini, alleging misconduct and suppression of information.

July 2016: Defended Trump's controversial tweet

In July 2016, Corey Lewandowski defended Donald Trump after he was criticized for tweeting a graphic labeling Hillary Clinton as the "most corrupt candidate" with imagery evoking antisemitic conspiracy theories. During an appearance on CNN's State of the Union, Lewandowski dismissed allegations of antisemitism, calling criticism of the tweet "political correctness run amok."

Loading Video...

July 2016: Hired by CNN as Political Commentator

In July 2016, Corey Lewandowski was hired by CNN as a political commentator after leaving the Trump campaign. Despite working for CNN, Lewandowski was still subject to a non-disclosure agreement with Trump and received severance pay from the Trump campaign. CNN hosts began disclosing the severance payments on-air before Lewandowski's appearances after Media Matters for America noted the lack of disclosure.

Loading Video...

August 2016: Espoused "birther" conspiracy theory on CNN

In August 2016, Corey Lewandowski promoted the "birther" conspiracy theory on CNN, suggesting that President Barack Obama was not a natural-born citizen of the United States. His statement drew criticism from other panelists, Angela Rye and Bakari Sellers.

Loading Video...

November 11, 2016: Resigned from CNN Commentator Role

On November 11, 2016, Corey Lewandowski resigned from his position as a CNN commentator amid speculation that he would be taking on a role in the Trump administration.

Loading Video...

December 2016: Citgo took loan from Rosneft

In December 2016, Citgo took out a loan from Russian state-owned oil giant Rosneft that it has been unable to pay.

December 21, 2016: Avenue Strategies Co-Founded

On December 21, 2016, Corey Lewandowski co-founded Avenue Strategies, a lobbying firm, located near the White House.

2016: Trump's 2016 presidential campaign

In 2016, Corey Lewandowski was the first campaign manager of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. He was later dismissed by Trump during the Republican Primary and went on to become a political commentator for One America News Network (OANN) and Fox News.

February 2017: Avenue Strategies Agrees to Lobby for Citgo

In February 2017, Avenue Strategies "quietly agreed" to lobby for Citgo Petroleum Corporation. In April they signed a $25,000 a month contract as tensions mounted between the United States, Venezuela, and Russia.

May 2017: Leaves Avenue Strategies

In May 2017, Corey Lewandowski left the lobbying firm Avenue Strategies.

June 19, 2017: Meeting with President Trump

On June 19, 2017, Corey Lewandowski (a private citizen) joined President Trump in the Oval Office for a one-on-one meeting where Trump dictated a statement for Attorney General Jeff Sessions regarding the Russia investigation.

July 2017: Offered Retainer by Payday Lender

In July 2017, Corey Lewandowski was offered a $20,000-a-month retainer by Community Choice Financial, a payday lender.

July 30, 2017: Lewandowski tells Trump to fire Richard Cordray

On July 30, 2017, during an episode of Meet the Press, Corey Lewandowski told President Trump to fire Richard Cordray, the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, who had been working to enact new payday lending regulations. Lewandowski denied advocating for a client when questioned by Chuck Todd.

Loading Video...

July 31, 2017: Fired from OANN

On July 31, 2017, Corey Lewandowski was fired from One America News Network (OANN) for making appearances on news networks other than OANN.

Loading Video...

November 28, 2017: Joy Villa's Police Complaint

On November 28, 2017, Joy Villa filed a police complaint against Corey Lewandowski for allegedly slapping her buttocks at a holiday party at the Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C. Villa claimed that Lewandowski made inappropriate remarks after she threatened to report him.

December 2017: Memoir "Let Trump Be Trump" Published

In December 2017, "Let Trump Be Trump", a memoir co-authored by Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, was published by Center Street. The memoir chronicles their experiences working for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

2017: Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia

In 2017, the racist and violent Unite the Right rally occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia, an event that Lewandowski later discussed in 2018 on 'Who Is America?', suggesting that one "had to respect" white supremacists. The 2017 Unite the Right rally became a focal point in discussions about racism and violence.

April 2018: Interviewed as part of Special Counsel Investigation

In April 2018, Corey Lewandowski was interviewed as part of the special counsel investigation with regard to whether Trump had committed obstruction of justice.

June 19, 2018: "Womp, Womp" Comment on Fox News

On June 19, 2018, Corey Lewandowski appeared on Fox News and responded with "womp, womp" when a Democratic strategist mentioned a case of a 10-year-old immigrant girl with Down syndrome being separated from her mother. The comment sparked widespread criticism.

Loading Video...

June 20, 2018: Dropped by Leading Authorities, Inc.

On June 20, 2018, Corey Lewandowski was dropped by Leading Authorities, Inc., a speakers bureau based in Washington D.C.

June 27, 2018: Revisited Immigrant Child Topic on CNN

On June 27, 2018, Corey Lewandowski revisited the topic of the 10-year-old immigrant child on CNN, asserting that she was separated at the border because her mother was potentially involved in a child-smuggling ring. This contradicted available evidence, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated the child was a "material witness."

Loading Video...

2018: Appearance in 'Who Is America?'

In 2018, Corey Lewandowski appeared in Sacha Baron Cohen's prank comedy series "Who Is America?", discussing Donald Trump's presidency and views with a conspiracy theorist character. During the interview, Lewandowski's comments suggested a degree of respect for white supremacists in relation to the 2017 Unite the Right rally.

February 2019: MSNBC Interview Statement

In February 2019, during an interview with MSNBC, Corey Lewandowski stated that he did not recall President Trump ever asking him to involve himself with Jeff Sessions or the Department of Justice.

Loading Video...

August 1, 2019: Considers Senate Run

On August 1, 2019, Corey Lewandowski announced he was "very seriously" considering seeking the Republican nomination to oppose incumbent Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen in the 2020 United States Senate election in New Hampshire.

September 2019: Testified Before House Judiciary Committee

In September 2019, Corey Lewandowski testified before the House Judiciary Committee. He stated that he had "no obligation to be honest with the media because they're just as dishonest as anyone else," when questioned about discrepancies between his statements to Mueller and to the media.

October 2, 2019: Fox Business Network Interview

On October 2, 2019, Corey Lewandowski appeared to slur his words during an interview on Fox Business Network. The host, Lisa Kennedy Montgomery, questioned if he had been drinking wine and ended the interview abruptly.

Loading Video...

December 2019: Visit to Israel

In December 2019, Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie traveled to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the aim of offering strategic advice for Netanyahu's upcoming election campaign.

December 31, 2019: Announced he would not run for Senate in New Hampshire

On December 31, 2019, Corey Lewandowski announced via tweet that he would not be running for Senate in New Hampshire, stating that he was certain he would have won.

January 2020: Decides Against Senate Run

In January 2020, Corey Lewandowski ultimately decided not to run for the Republican nomination to oppose Jeanne Shaheen in the United States Senate election in New Hampshire.

December 2020: Appointed to and then Fired From Defense Business Board

In December 2020, Corey Lewandowski was appointed to the Defense Business Board by Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller. However, the Pentagon later prevented him from being seated, and then Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin fired Lewandowski as part of a purge to derail Trump's last-minute political appointments.

2020: Trump encouraged Lewandowski to enter race

At a Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire on August 15, Trump publicly encouraged Corey Lewandowski to enter the U.S. Senate race, but Lewandowski declined to comment on his candidacy at the rally.

2020: Considering Senate run in New Hampshire

In August 1, 2019, Corey Lewandowski stated that he was considering seeking the Republican nomination to run against Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen in the 2020 U.S. Senate election in New Hampshire. The announcement followed a report of ongoing attempts by the Republican National Committee to draft Lewandowski for the seat.

September 2021: Accusations and Separation from Trump World

In September 2021, Corey Lewandowski allegedly made sexual advances towards the wife of a major Trump donor. As a result, a Trump spokesman stated that Lewandowski "will no longer be associated with Trump World."

September 2021: Removal from Make America Great Again Action

In September 2021, Corey Lewandowski was removed from his role as chairman of the super PAC Make America Great Again Action following reports of sexual harassment accusations from a donor. This marked a significant career challenge for Lewandowski.

September 2021: Sexual Misconduct Allegations at Charity Dinner

In September 2021, at a charity dinner in Las Vegas, Trashelle Odom accused Corey Lewandowski of unwanted sexual advances, including inappropriate touching and sexually graphic language. Witnesses reported Lewandowski appeared intoxicated, leading to further scrutiny.

September 2022: Misdemeanor Battery Charge and Plea Agreement

In September 2022, Corey Lewandowski was charged with misdemeanor battery in Clark County, Nevada court concerning the September 2021 incident. He reached a plea agreement, not admitting wrongdoing but agreeing to pay a fine, perform community service, and undergo counseling, with the charge potentially dismissed after a year of compliance.

September 2023: Reports of Extramarital Affair

In September 2023, the New York Post and the Daily Mail published reports alleging that Corey Lewandowski was having an extramarital affair with South Dakota governor Kristi Noem. Noem's spokesman denied these reports, adding to the ongoing scrutiny.

August 15, 2024: Joins Trump's 2024 Campaign

On August 15, 2024, Corey Lewandowski joined the 2024 Donald Trump presidential campaign as a senior advisor. However, he was later removed from the national campaign staff in October due to a staff conflict and sent to New Hampshire to manage Trump's local campaign.

October 7, 2024: Role in Trump Campaign Reduced

On October 7, 2024, The Guardian reported that Corey Lewandowski had been instructed to focus on being a surrogate in New Hampshire after losing an internal power struggle for control of the Trump campaign.

2024: Value of Salary in 2024

In 2024, the value of $20,000 in 2015 is estimated at $25,787.

2024: Estimated Value in 2024

In 2024, the value of $350,000 in 2011 is estimated at $480,083.

September 2025: De Facto Chief of Staff

As of September 2025, Corey Lewandowski was acting as de facto chief of staff to secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, in an unpaid special government employee (SGE) position.

September 2025: Widespread Belief of Romantic Attachment

As of September 2025, according to New York Magazine, it was widely understood by those who work with them that Corey Lewandowski and Kristi Noem were romantically attached, although both parties continued to deny the relationship.

February 2026: Reported Relationship with Kristi Noem

In February 2026, The Wall Street Journal reported that sources said Corey Lewandowski and Kristi Noem "do little to hide their relationship inside the department," that Lewandowski "spends time" at Noem's government housing, and that the "pair" have been traveling in a leased luxury jet "with a private cabin in the back".