Now Kristi Noem wants her own pricey new private jet for Homeland Security
The U.S. Coast Guard made a last-minute change to its 2025 budget to secure a $50 million new plane for Noem.
Lavish spending on jets is something of a touchy subject in Washington, D.C., right now, not only because of the security and ethics issues over the Qatari gift, but also because it could cost $1 billion to retrofit the plane to meet communications and military requirements to transport the commander-in-chief.
Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood brought up the request for a new jet for Noem during a Wednesday hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security.
'I was horrified last Friday when we received a last-minute addition to your spend plan for Fiscal '25 — a new $50 million Gulfstream V for Secretary Noem's personal travel coming from the Coast Guard budget,' Underwood stated in a session with acting Coast Guard Chief Admiral Kevin Lunday.
'She already has a Gulfstream V, by the way. This is a new one,' the Democrat added.
Underwood pressed Lunday on whether the request for the jet had come from the top levels of the Department of Homeland Security or elsewhere in the Trump administration.
The admiral evaded answering the question, saying: 'Meeting the needs of our Coast Guard men and women that are doing frontline operations is my top operational priority, and it's a top operational priority of the secretary.'
He added: 'She's been clear with that to me, and I know she testified to that effect before the subcommittee last week.'
Lunday argued that the new plane was necessary, explaining that the Coast Guard operates two military long-range command and control aircraft in its fleet, and that the older one is 'approaching obsolescence and the end of its service life.'
It's necessary to replace it as it 'provides a crucial service to Coast Guard leaders and to Secretary Noem,' he added.
He explained: 'This aircraft is necessary to provide … secure, reliable, on-demand communications and movement to go forward, visit our operating forces conducting the missions, and then come back here to Washington to make sure we can work together to get them what they need.'
Underwood wasn't satisfied with his answer in that it had not addressed her question.
'I just want to note that I didn't hear the admiral answer the question about whether he was directed to purchase this new Gulfstream V,' she said. 'And I just want to note that as I conclude my time.'
The Illinois lawmaker further said on X: 'We should be investing in our national security and improving the lives of our Coasties – not wasting taxpayer dollars on luxury travel and political stunts.'
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin backed up Lunday's response on the age of the aircraft currently in operation, telling The Daily Beast that the current Gulfstream is over 20 years old and outside of its service life, 'well beyond operational usage hours for a corporate aircraft.'
'This is a matter of safety,' she said in a statement. 'Much like the Coast Guard's ships that are well beyond their service life and safe operational usage, the Coast Guard's aircraft are too. This administration is taking action to restore our Nation's finest maritime Armed Service to a capable fighting force.'
Noem faced her own grilling in the House on Wednesday over her 'many photo ops and costume changes' making the scene as the secretary of Homeland Security that have earned her the nickname 'ICE Barbie.'
She also refused to acknowledge whether a photograph presented by President Trump depicting alleged gang tattoos apparently superimposed on the knuckles of wrongfully deported Salvadoran Kilmar Abrego Garcia was, in fact, doctored. Parts of the tattoos have not been seen in other photos of Abrego Garcia's hands.
There was a lengthy back-and-forth with California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell on both matters.
Sparring with Noem concerning her apparent cosplay efforts, he said: 'I don't need to wear costumes to show how tough I am.'
Repeatedly asking her about the photo, he said: 'Madame Secretary, I have a 7-year-old, a 6-year-old, and a 3-year-old. I have a bulls**** detector. I'm just asking you, is this doctored or not doctored?'
Noem claimed to have no knowledge of the photo or what his point was, despite being one of the chief law enforcement officials in the country.
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