Kristi Noem Scandal Rocks Trump

House Democrats are pressing Secretary Kristi Noem for answers regarding a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposal to purchase a new $50 million jet, a move they say would siphon resources from the U.S. Coast Guard’s already strained budget. The jet, buried as a line item in the Coast Guard’s spending plan, is intended to replace one of two Gulfstream aircraft already used for official travel. DHS argues the current Gulfstream, purchased in 2002, has surpassed its operational lifespan.

In a letter sent to Noem, Representatives Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and LaMonica McIver of New Jersey both members of the House Homeland Security Committee raised alarm over the proposed acquisition, warning it would directly reduce the availability of other Coast Guard aircraft for critical operations like search and rescue. Thompson, the committee’s ranking member, and McIver pointed to longstanding issues with the Coast Guard’s aging aircraft fleet, which includes helicopters and planes dating back to the 1980s and 1990s.

The lawmakers also referenced a Government Accountability Office report noting that some Coast Guard helicopters are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain due to a lack of available parts. In their letter, they requested a detailed accounting of Secretary Noem’s use of the two existing Gulfstream jets and a comprehensive breakdown of Coast Guard aircraft that are approaching the end of their service life.

DHS has not responded to the letter publicly, but in previous statements has defended the jet replacement as a necessary safety upgrade. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs, said the current G550 is well past its recommended service hours and described the replacement as vital to modernizing the Coast Guard’s aging fleet. “This is a matter of safety,” she said. “Much like the Coast Guard’s ships that are well beyond their service life and safe operational usage, Coast Guard’s aircraft are too.”

Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday faced tough questions earlier this month during a House Appropriations Committee hearing, where lawmakers expressed frustration over the late addition of the $50 million jet to the fiscal 2025 budget plan. “I was horrified last Friday when we received a last-minute addition to your spend plan for fiscal ’25, a new $50 million Gulfstream 5 for Secretary Noem’s personal travel coming from the Coast Guard budget. She already has a Gulfstream 5, by the way, this is a new one,” said Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Subcommittee.

Lunday defended the request, describing the current aircraft as outdated, with failing avionics and unreliable communications systems. He stressed that the aircraft, like much of the Coast Guard fleet, was in urgent need of recapitalization.

In their letter, Thompson and McIver drew a sharp comparison between Noem’s jet request and former President Trump’s controversial attempt to acquire a $400 million plane from a foreign government, calling it a disturbing trend toward luxury spending at the expense of operational readiness. “We know President Trump has set a high bar for wasteful luxury travel by government officials with his unconstitutional attempt to personally acquire a $400 million jet from a foreign government. That does not mean members of his Cabinet must follow suit,” they wrote.

They closed their letter with a warning: “Your desire to travel in luxury should not eclipse the need for USCG service members to fly safely and conduct lifesaving missions.”