Kristi Noem's lavish spending on private jets has raised eyebrows at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). According to documents reviewed by The New York Times, DHS has purchased two Gulfstream private jets for Noem and other top officials at a staggering cost of $172 million. This move comes as several months ago, Noem issued a memo requiring all DHS personnel to get her personal approval on spending over $100,000, aiming to be a responsible steward of taxpayers' money.
However, the opposite has been observed in practice. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been slow to respond to disaster-stricken areas due to increased bureaucracy. Congressional Republicans have expressed frustration with Noem's policies, and it appears that DHS is not immune to her lack of concern for efficiency.
The two private jets were originally requested by the Coast Guard at a much lower cost of $50 million. However, DHS has now spent nearly three times as much to acquire two new jets. Two key House Democrats have expressed their concerns about Noem's procurement strategies and how they may be prioritizing her own comfort over the operational needs of the agency.
The lawmakers criticized Noem for making decisions that seem to vary on a whim and suggested that she is not being transparent about where taxpayer dollars are going. They also questioned her judgment, leadership priorities, and responsibility as a steward of taxpayer dollars. As this story continues to unfold, it highlights some of the controversies surrounding Kristi Noem's tenure in the White House Cabinet.
Noem's spending habits have come under scrutiny before, with reports suggesting that she used taxpayer money to remodel the governor's mansion and cover her pre-election travel expenses. Her decision to purchase private jets for herself and other officials raises questions about accountability and transparency within DHS.
However, the opposite has been observed in practice. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been slow to respond to disaster-stricken areas due to increased bureaucracy. Congressional Republicans have expressed frustration with Noem's policies, and it appears that DHS is not immune to her lack of concern for efficiency.
The two private jets were originally requested by the Coast Guard at a much lower cost of $50 million. However, DHS has now spent nearly three times as much to acquire two new jets. Two key House Democrats have expressed their concerns about Noem's procurement strategies and how they may be prioritizing her own comfort over the operational needs of the agency.
The lawmakers criticized Noem for making decisions that seem to vary on a whim and suggested that she is not being transparent about where taxpayer dollars are going. They also questioned her judgment, leadership priorities, and responsibility as a steward of taxpayer dollars. As this story continues to unfold, it highlights some of the controversies surrounding Kristi Noem's tenure in the White House Cabinet.
Noem's spending habits have come under scrutiny before, with reports suggesting that she used taxpayer money to remodel the governor's mansion and cover her pre-election travel expenses. Her decision to purchase private jets for herself and other officials raises questions about accountability and transparency within DHS.
I mean, what's up with DHS spending $172 million on two private jets for Kristi Noem? 
It's like she's trying to fly in style while the rest of us are stuck on a budget plane 
. And now they're saying it was originally meant to be just $50 million for the Coast Guard? 
That's like buying a new car and then adding on all these fancy extras you don't need 
. I mean, shouldn't we have accountability for our tax dollars? 
It's not like it's a small mistake, this is serious 
This is just crazy! I mean, Kristi Noem is trying to be all responsible with taxpayer dollars, but it looks like she's just doing the opposite 
. And now DHS is slow to respond to disasters? That's just unacceptable 
. I guess you could say her priorities are all wrong 
.
. And what's the big deal about her using private jets for personal travel? It's not like she's flying around in style all the time - these are official government flights we're talking about here 
. The fact that Congress is being so hard on her seems a bit unfair, imo 
. But seriously, it's like they're trying to make DHS look like a joke. The irony is not lost on me - Kristi Noem wants everyone to be responsible with taxpayer cash, but she's clearly not practicing what she preaches 
. It looks like Noem's priorities are way off base here 
.
. It's like, hello, if you're gonna make rules, follow them yourself, right? 
.
. The lawmakers are right on the money (pun intended) when they call out Noem for her lack of transparency and accountability. We need more scrutiny like this, stat! 
. How can you justify spending that much when the agency has a slow response time to disasters? 
? Interesting how she's getting away with this, though... 
Get real girl! You're just buyin these jets for yourself and makin it look like you're bein responsible. Newsflash: we can see right through that! 
️! Meanwhile, FEMA is struggling to respond to disasters on time 
. Two House Democrats are calling her out on this, saying she's being secretive about where the money's going 
. Transparency is key when it comes to taxpayer dollars 
and cover her travel expenses before the election 
. It's time for accountability, don't you think? 
. DHS has purchased: