Kristi Noem slammed for flaunting $60K Rolex during visit to infamous CECOT prison in El Salvador

WASHINGTON, DC: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem might have been trying to send a tough-on-crime message during her El Salvador prison visit, but it’s her luxury wristwear that is grabbing all the attention.

The 53-year-old Trump ally raised eyebrows when she was spotted wearing a gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona worth nearly $60,000 as she stood in front of a cell full of inmates at the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) on Wednesday, March 26. 

A viral social media post quickly identified the flashy timepiece, pointing out that a brand-new Cosmograph Daytona sells for a whopping $59,500 online.

Noem was seen rocking the same watch the very next day during her meeting with Colombia’s foreign minister, the New York Post reported.

Kristi Noem’s warning to undocumented migrants 

While many were laser-focused on her wrist, Kristi Noem was busy delivering a warning that quickly went viral for its hardline stance on immigration.

She declared on X (formerly Twitter), "President Trump and I have a clear message to criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you do not leave, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and you could end up in this El Salvadoran prison."

In the aforementioned video, Noem stood outside the high-security facility to address undocumented migrants directly. "If you come to our country illegally, this is one of the consequences you could face. This facility is one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people," she said.

The prison she visited, which lies about 47 miles southeast of San Salvador, is a key part of El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele’s crackdown on violent drug cartels. The facility is known for its harsh conditions and extreme security measures. 

Noem’s Rolex sparked controversy as people slammed her for flaunting the luxury watch in the video while standing in front of a cell in a prison notorious for the brutal torture of inmates.

Kristi Noem slammed for flaunting Rolex while visiting El Salvador prison

Noem’s choice of luxury jewelry didn’t sit well with people on the internet, with some asking how she could afford extravagant purchases on a government salary.

“Don’t hear Elon Musk looking into Kristi Noem’s finances when she’s wearing a $60,000 watch on a $156,000 salary,” one X user wrote.

"But sure, tell me again how these Trumpers are just regular folks rather than wealthy oligarchs looting and grifting America," another remarked.

"Who is running her account? You need to be fired. You’re making her look like an idiot. Wearing a $50k watch parading in front of gangb*****s. Ridiculous," one person asked.

"Ironic for a Homeland Security Secretary who should focus on human rights, not luxury. Her wealth screams privilege, not leadership. Shameful display amidst such suffering," someone else added.

"This image will go down in infamy: Kristi Noem using abused prisoners—some of whom she illegally deported without due process—as props in a Trump ad in which she sports a $60,000 Rolex These men have already been left in a hole to die horrible deaths—was that not enough for her?" an angry netizen questioned.

"She was the governor of South Dakota. Where did she get that kind of money? Riding horses on the range? A welcome to the club gift from Elon Musk?" another wondered.

How rich is Kristi Noem?

Kristi Noem was born in Watertown, South Dakota, in 1971, and grew up on her family’s ranch and farm. The 10,000-acre property—valued at over $2 million—was passed down after her father’s tragic farming accident in 1994.

Noem has earned nearly $180,000 in book advances, though those books are yet to be published.

Her current salary as Homeland Security Secretary is $250,600 per year—a major step up from her $122,000 salary as South Dakota’s governor.

As for her total net worth, the last public estimate put her wealth at $2.3 million. This was based on 2017 records from OpenSecrets.org.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.