Noem lent Melania Trump DHS luxury jet as ‘insurance policy’ against spending backlash: report
WASHINGTON, DC: The former head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem is facing scrutiny after reports suggest that a luxury government jet was lent to First Lady Melania Trump.
The aircraft was allegedly used as an “insurance policy” to reduce criticism over government spending on expensive aviation resources. The issue surfaced around the same time President Donald Trump announced Noem’s removal from her post as DHS secretary.
Kristi Noem and the DHS jet controversy
According to reports, Noem lent the first lady one of DHS’ luxury jets in what officials described as a strategic move intended to shield the agency from backlash over taxpayer-funded spending.
The jet involved was a Boeing aircraft that reportedly featured a bedroom with a queen-size bed, a bar and four flat-screen televisions. The aircraft had been leased by DHS while the agency explored the possibility of purchasing it for about $70 million.
Earlier, The New York Times reported that DHS had purchased two Gulfstream private jets costing around $172 million for use by Noem and other senior officials.
Reports said Noem and her top adviser Corey Lewandowski allowed Melania to use the Boeing jet several times for travel between DC and New York. Lewandowski and Noem, who are both married to other people, have denied allegations that they are involved in an affair, though the claims have circulated publicly.
One Trump administration official told Axios that the move was calculated. The official said, “They’re smart. Corey is really smart. I don't take that away from them. Because they flew the first lady on it, they think they're bulletproof.”
The official also described the arrangement as an “insurance policy” to protect the officials from criticism regarding the spending on aircraft and travel.
Trump's dismissal of Kristi Noem and DHS scrutiny
Noem’s position at DHS came to an end after Trump announced her departure on Truth Social. In the post, the president praised her work and said she had delivered “numerous and spectacular results.”
Trump stated that Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin would replace Noem as the head of the Department of Homeland Security. He also announced that Noem would take on a new role as special envoy for a security initiative called “The Shield of the Americas.”
During her time as secretary, Noem faced criticism over several issues. These included the aggressive tactics used by federal agents in the administration’s immigration crackdown, which reportedly resulted in the fatal shootings of two US citizens in Minneapolis.
She also defended a $220 million advertising campaign designed to promote border security. One scene in the campaign showed Noem on horseback in front of Mount Rushmore in her home state of South Dakota.
However, Trump later told an outlet that he had not approved the ad campaign, saying, “I never knew anything about it.” This contradicted Noem’s earlier testimony to the Senate claiming the president had signed off on the ads.
Following her reassignment, Noem thanked Trump and said she looked forward to working with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to dismantle narcotics cartels responsible for trafficking into the United States.
