Senator Confronts Kristi Noem With Photo of Luxury Jet Bedroom During Hearing
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced sharp questioning on Capitol Hill after a Democratic senator confronted her with a blown-up image of a bedroom inside a luxury jet she has reportedly used for cross-country travel.
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse displayed a large poster of the aircraft’s private cabin, which featured a queen-sized bed with six pillows and a nearby armchair. The image, first published by NBC News, was reportedly taken from a promotional brochure distributed to passengers.
“You’re not familiar with that?” Whitehouse asked as Noem testified, her husband Bryon seated just behind her.
“These photos are not accurate if you’re referring to the airplanes that the Department of Homeland Security has purchased and are purchasing,” Noem responded, arguing the aircraft are intended for long-range command-and-control operations as authorized by Congress.
Whitehouse interrupted to press her directly: had she used a luxury jet equipped with a bedroom?
“We’ve used a 737. I’ve been on it once, but it is being used by other administration officials, and it is used for command and control flights for the department,” Noem said.
The exchange comes as Noem has pushed for the outright purchase of the $70 million Boeing 737 MAX currently leased by DHS. She argued during the hearing that buying the aircraft would ultimately save taxpayers “hundreds of millions of dollars.”
When Whitehouse again asked whether the plane includes a bedroom, Noem replied, “I believe it’s being refurbished in not having a bedroom in it. So it is being refurbished.”
The senator questioned what type of deportation operations would justify using a luxury aircraft outfitted with high-end accommodations.
“There are aircraft being purchased that will be utilized for executive air travel and for deportations,” Noem insisted, adding that similar aircraft configurations have previously been used by the U.S. government.
Whitehouse cited unnamed officials who described the purchase as an abuse of federal funds and “the world’s worst deal,” though he did not address allegations regarding Noem’s personal travel.
Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that Noem and senior adviser Corey Lewandowski have traveled on a 737 MAX jet featuring a private cabin. The department previously relied on aircraft operated by the Coast Guard or other agencies for the secretary’s travel.
The controversy adds to growing scrutiny over DHS spending and the use of government aircraft as the department faces ongoing debates over immigration enforcement and federal resource allocation.
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