Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told senators on Tuesday that she personally ran her plans by President Trump to spend more than $200 million on pro-deportation ads that have boosted her own profile.
Ms. Noem also defended her department’s purchase of new airplanes, including one with a luxurious bedroom, saying she was following directions from Congress, which ordered her to have an executive aircraft for national security reasons.
She said the airplane is being “refurbished” to remove the bedroom.
She said she’s been on the plane only once, adding that other department officials have used it.
More broadly, she said, the department’s purchase of a fleet of planes will cut flight costs by 40% by reducing the need for contract flights.
“We have 737s that are being purchased by the department to replace contracts we have on ICE deportations,” she told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Ms. Noem’s management of the department’s spending has come under scrutiny, with photos of the plane going viral and administration officials privately complaining about her purchases.
Sen. John Kennedy, Louisiana Republican, also prodded Ms. Noem over the $220 million ad campaign the department has launched featuring video with the secretary urging illegal immigrants to self-deport.
“Did the president know you were going to do this?” Mr. Kennedy demanded.
“We had that conversation, yes, before I was put in this position,” she said.
Mr. Kennedy was incredulous.
“To me, it puts the president in a terribly awkward spot. I’m not saying you’re not telling the truth, it’s just hard for me to believe,” he said.
He said his research showed DHS did not put the ad contracts out for bid and that much of the work went to a firm run by the husband of Ms. Noem’s former spokeswoman.
“It troubles me. A fifth to a quarter of a billion dollars in taxpayer money when we’re scratching for every penny, I just can’t agree with, madam secretary,” the senator said.
“I did not have anything to do with picking those contractors,” Ms. Noem countered.
She said the ads are still running but are due to end later this month.
