FIRST ON FOX: Thomas Fugate, a 22-year-old Trump appointee, spoke with Fox News Digital after being cast into the spotlight and criticized over his young age, inexperience and role in President Donald Trump’s administration. 

Fugate’s official title at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is Special Assistant. However, several outlets reported that Fugate was the head of DHS’s Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3). CP3 is DHS’ lead office for terrorism and targeted violence prevention.

The young appointee and DHS denied those claims to Fox News Digital.

“All decisions came down from policy leadership, [the] undersecretary, deputy secretary, and chief of staff,” Fugate emphasized.

SECOND SUSPECT ARRESTED IN CBP OFFICER SHOOTING HAS LENGTHY CRIMINAL PAST, DHS SAYS

Thomas Fugate, 22, is a Special Assistant with the Department of Homeland Security. (Department of Homeland Security)

Fugate went on to say that CP3, a program which was gutted by an $18.5 million cut last week, has a heavily reduced role compared to previous administrations as Trump’s DHS has downsized the division. 

“Before I got there, [CP3] was already flagged for waste, fraud, and abuse,” Fugate explained. “We’re not talking about a massive office of 80 people with a wide range of functions. We’re talking about a very niche and small, specialized office.”

Fugate said the office is mainly focused on administering a grant program.

“It’s only when you take it out of context and blow it out of proportion that it then becomes a massive problem where people think I’m practically running the FBI,” Fugate continued.

DHS also told Fox News Digital that Fugate was never in a position of leadership within the program, and even referred to him as a “low-level” staffer. 

Several media outlets fretted over President Trump’s appointment of 22-year-old Thomas Fugate to a position with Homeland Security. (Getty Images)

NOEM BLAMES ‘SANCTUARY’ POLICIES FOR MIGRANT ACCUSED OF SHOOTING OFF-DUTY CBP OFFICER

“This entire smear campaign around Thomas Fugate is a smokescreen to bury the rampant grift and waste festering in the CP3 program under the Biden Administration’s watch,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox. “Fugate never held the director role at CP3, and to imply that he had operational control or exercised leadership over CP3 is simply untrue, as we have consistently told them.”

“The fact a low-level 22-year-old staffer was able to identify the misappropriated spending and the subsequent violent reaction to defend this woke, partisan spending by those on the left tells you exactly what this program was really being used for,” McLaughlin said.

Fugate said he started out with DHS at Border and Immigration before moving to CP3. (Getty Images)

As for his young age and experience, Fugate noted that he started out with DHS at Border and Immigration when the Undersecretary of Policy asked him to temporarily assist at CP3.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Prior to that, he interned at the Heritage Foundation before graduating from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a degree in Politics and Law last May.

Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston