WASHINGTON, D.C. — MSNBC dropped a report this weekend that set off discussion in political circles, accusing Tom Homan, Trump’s former border czar, of taking $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents who pretended to be business leaders seeking government deals in the event of a Trump return. The Saturday evening story framed Homan, well known for his firm stance on border issues as former ICE chief, as someone willing to swap influence for bundles of cash.

The events said to have happened on 20 September 2024, just ahead of the election, took place in an unremarkable location in west Texas. Citing a Justice Department summary and six unnamed sources, MSNBC claimed Homan implied he could sort out deals for border projects if Trump won.

The money, hidden in a takeaway bag, reportedly changed hands after Homan promised to lend a hand. The report said Biden-era justice officials saw the case as a definite win for bribery and conspiracy until the inquiry fizzled when Trump took office again.

But the story raises questions. The report rests on anonymous sources and offers little concrete detail. None of the “six sources” is identified, which leaves viewers questioning the reliability of the claims. What stands out most is the reliance on dramatic narrative without real substance or proof.

Tom Homan hit back hard in a NewsNation interview, flatly calling the story “complete bullshit” and calling it a ploy by MSNBC to stay relevant. He was backed up by FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who, in a joint statement, described the story as “baseless,” blaming it on past administration efforts to target Trump’s allies.

They said FBI and Justice Department investigators found nothing to support prosecution and closed the matter recently after Patel’s review request. Abigail Jackson of the White House press team also pointed out that Homan had no say over contract awards and branded the entire investigation as clear political theatre.

MSNBC Lying

Story Ended Month Ago

Despite this, MSNBC kept the spotlight on the story, looping it through primetime and inviting Democrats like Senator Adam Schiff to press for any evidence, including the tapes. This happened even though officials have repeatedly stated that because Homan held no government post at the time, federal bribery laws could not apply.

The timing of the renewed attention has led even more people to question why MSNBC is pushing a story that ended months ago, especially given that even The New York Times admitted the evidence was too weak for any legal action.

MSNBC has a history of stories that later collapsed under pressure. The Trump-Russia allegations, often headlined by Rachel Maddow, relied heavily on unproven material.

When Special Counsel Robert Mueller finished his work in 2019, he found no sign that the Trump campaign had worked with Moscow, despite MSNBC airing story after story suggesting otherwise. This coverage was later slammed for stirring up public frenzy without solid facts.

Other examples include the 2021 coverage of Kyle Rittenhouse, where hosts dismissed any evidence supporting his case before a jury found him innocent. Joy Reid amplified the narrative, only for it to be shown as hollow.

There was also the claim that agents on horseback whipped Haitian migrants at the border, which was disproved by an internal investigation confirming the “whips” were just horse reins.

MSNBC Report

MSNBC’s Credibility Questioned

In 2024, MSNBC strongly questioned the authenticity of Hunter Biden’s laptop, dismissing the New York Post’s report. However, the FBI and later court proceedings confirmed the laptop’s authenticity.

Numerous fact-checkers, including Media Bias/Fact Check, criticized MSNBC for inconsistent reporting, from mistaken stories about Walmart’s gun sales to misleading information on Covid-19 vaccine efforts. Wikipedia keeps a long list of questionable calls, with the network often accused of pushing a political angle at the expense of accuracy.

Commentators now say MSNBC too often features anonymous tips that feed into the preferred storylines of the Democratic Party.

Michael Arria notes in his book Medium Blue that when a story threatens network interests, it either gets little coverage or is shaped to fit the desired view, as seen during times when the parent company, Comcast, was pursuing big mergers. With Homan facing fresh accusations just as Trump returns to office, the case feels timed to cause maximum trouble for the current White House team.

Adding to the complications, MSNBC’s viewership has dropped significantly. Since the 2024 election, primetime numbers have fallen by over half, dropping from 1.34 million to 632,000, reaching the lowest point in nearly 30 years.

By May 2025, ratings had slipped 24 percent versus the previous year, and total viewership was down by a third. July brought another sharp fall, with primetime dropping to 865,000 and an overall loss of 15 percent for the second quarter. Even Rachel Maddow’s marquee show airs only once a week now and can’t bolster the numbers.

These losses led to big changes at the top. NBCUniversal, the long-time owner, decided this year to spin MSNBC off with other cable channels, creating a new company, Versant. Inside sources talk about a possible rebrand to “MS NOW,” with many staffers fearing layoffs and a sense that the channel’s days as a media force could be ending. Online, viewers complain about bias and news slanted for effect, saying honesty has been lost.

Meanwhile, Fox News has gained ground, with primetime audiences rising by 23 percent in May and hitting 2.46 million. MSNBC’s latest big story about Homan now looks, to some, like a move born of desperation. Homan says he has no intention of easing up in his stance on border security, calling the migrant numbers an “invasion.” For MSNBC, the real threat could be a public tired of unproven stories and looking elsewhere for news.

Trust in the media is thin these days, and covering stories like this calls for solid evidence, not just unnamed sources and political spin. Until NBC’s cable arm can prove its claims, most viewers seem likely to write this one off as hot air.