White House Retains $70 Million Luxury Jet for First Lady and Senior Officials
The White House has decided to retain the controversial $70 million luxury jet that was originally leased by former Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem, according to a new report. The aircraft will now be made available to First Lady Melania Trump and other senior cabinet officials for long-distance travel requirements.
Luxury Features and Controversial History
The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft features numerous luxury amenities including a queen-size bed, multiple showers, a fully-equipped kitchen, four flat-screen televisions, and an elaborate cocktail bar. Paperwork indicated that Noem had originally intended to purchase the jet for conducting what she described as "high-profile deportations" during her tenure at the Department of Homeland Security.
Following Noem's departure from the DHS last month, it had been widely assumed that the purchase would be abandoned. However, the administration has instead proceeded with the acquisition, transferring responsibility for the aircraft away from the Department of Homeland Security and redesignating it for more general governmental use.
Administration Justification and Criticism
A DHS spokesperson explained the decision, stating: "This aircraft will be available to cabinet members who need secure command and control and rapid long-range mobility." The plane is reportedly more luxurious than Air Force Two, which is used by Vice President JD Vance for official travel.
The decision has drawn criticism from various quarters. Immigration hardliners outside government have expressed particular dissatisfaction with the acquisition. RJ Hauman, director of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement, commented: "Wasting tens of millions of dollars on a luxury jet that won't remove a single illegal alien is offensive." His organization has been actively lobbying the Trump administration to pursue more aggressive mass deportation policies.
Financial critics have also raised concerns about the expenditure. Marc Short, who previously served as chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence, noted that the president's second term "started with promises of cutting wasteful spending" through Elon Musk's DOGE initiative, only to end up with an additional multi-million dollar jet added to government accounts.
Noem's Controversial Tenure and Departure
Kristi Noem was removed from her position as Homeland Security secretary in March after thirteen months in the role. During her tenure, she became the public face of the administration's immigration enforcement policies and was frequently mocked online as "ICE Barbie" due to her tendency to change outfits to match different backdrops during public appearances.
Following her departure from DHS, Noem was appointed to the new position of Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas. Former Oklahoma Republican senator Markwayne Mullin was swiftly sworn in as her replacement at the Department of Homeland Security.
President Trump reportedly grew weary of what he described as the "constant chaos" surrounding Noem's department and the negative press coverage she attracted. Particular criticism focused on her handling of Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis in January, during which two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot dead by federal immigration agents while protesting their actions. Noem subsequently falsely accused the victims of being "domestic terrorists" and refused to apologize for her remarks.
Additional Controversies and Personal Scandals
In February, The Wall Street Journal published a report alleging that Noem had engaged in an extramarital affair with her top adviser, Corey Lewandowski. Both parties vehemently denied these allegations. The report also accused Noem of seeking to "burnish her personal stardom at every turn," sparring with border czar Tom Homan, and firing and then rehiring a pilot after her comfort blanket was accidentally left behind on a plane.
President Trump was reportedly "incensed" by Noem's claim during a congressional hearing that he had prior knowledge about her approval of a $220 million television advertising campaign for ICE. In the controversial advertisement, Noem appeared on horseback before Mount Rushmore. The president told Reuters shortly before announcing her departure: "I never knew anything about it."
Following her removal from office, Noem reportedly felt she had been "thrown under the bus" by the president. Meanwhile, according to The Washington Examiner, some DHS staffers were "actually crying out of happiness" at news of her departure.
Noem has continued to face personal scandals since leaving the Department of Homeland Security. Reports have emerged about her husband, Byron Noem, allegedly indulging in cross-dressing and sending compromising photographs and cash to strangers online as part of what has been described as a "bimbofication" fetish. Kristi Noem was reportedly "blindsided" by these allegations.
