Noem Lent Melania Trump One Of Dhs’ Luxury Jets As An ‘insurance Policy’ To Protect Her From Spending Backlash, Report Says

Ousted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had lent first woman Melania Trump 1 of nan agency’s luxury jets arsenic an “insurance policy” to protect her from backlash complete her spending of payer dollars, according to a caller report.

Noem was axed Thursday via a Truth Social post, successful which President Donald Trump praised nan caput for “numerous and spectacular results” while announcing her departure from nan Department of Homeland Security astatine nan extremity of nan month.

Trump said Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma would return complete Noem’s station and Noem would go nan typical envoy for Trump’s caller information inaugural successful nan Western Hemisphere, “The Shield of nan Americas.”

Noem has been criticized complete nan strategies utilized by national agents successful carrying retired Trump’s monolithic migration crackdown, which resulted successful the fatal shootings of 2 U.S. citizens successful Minneapolis, and for spending connected lavish jets and advertisement campaigns predominantly featuring nan secretary.

DHS had purchased 2 Gulfstream backstage jets for Noem and different apical officials for $172 million, The New York Times reported past October. The agency was besides reportedly hoping to bargain a Boeing 737 Max 8, which it's presently leasing, for $70 million.

NBC News reported past period that nan Boeing pitchy includes a chamber pinch a queen-sized bed, a barroom and 4 flat-screen TVs. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told nan White House nan pitchy would beryllium utilized to carrier Cabinet officials and to deport immigrants, 2 DHS officials told NBC News.

Axios reported Thursday that Noem and Corey Lewandowski, her apical advisor and rumored matter partner, had lent nan Boeing pitchy to Melania. Noem and Lewandowski, some joined to different people, person denied allegations of an affair.

The first woman reportedly utilized nan pitchy to recreation from Washington, D.C., to New York connected respective occasions. According to 1 Trump management charismatic who said to Axios, Noem and Lewandowski had an ulterior motive erstwhile allowing Melania to usage nan jet.

"They're smart. Corey is really smart. I don't return that distant from them. Because they flew nan first woman connected it, they deliberation they're bulletproof," nan charismatic said. The charismatic called nan move an “insurance policy” for their spending.

The Independent has reached retired to DHS and nan first lady’s agency for comment.

But successful nan end, Noem sewage nan boot, which came soon aft nan caput was grilled by Congress for her alleged mismanagement of DHS. Lewandowski is besides reportedly leaving nan agency.

In Senate and House hearings this week, Noem defended a $220 cardinal advertisement run to beforehand separator security, which includes a segment of Noem connected a equine successful beforehand of Mount Rushmore successful her location authorities of South Dakota.

Trump said Thursday he did not motion disconnected connected nan advertisement campaign, telling Reuters, “I ne'er knew thing astir it,” contempt Noem telling nan Senate that nan president had approved nan ads.

Noem thanked Trump Thursday for her caller position successful nan “Shield of nan Americas” inaugural and said she looked guardant to moving pinch Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “dismantle cartels that person poured narcotics into our federation and killed our children and grandchildren.”