The heat in the House Homeland Security Committee hearing reached a fever pitch Thursday as Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) tore into Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, accusing her of misusing taxpayer money and calling on her to resign—if President Donald Trump didn’t fire her first.
Thompson’s blistering critique centered on what he described as Noem’s “corrupt behavior” and misuse of department resources.
“Instead of deploying Homeland Security grants to protect churches and synagogues from terrorism, you handed your friends a $220 million contract so they could follow you around the country with a camera,” Thompson told the DHS chief.
He didn’t stop there. Thompson slammed Noem for spending millions on private jets instead of funding critical security initiatives: “Instead of fully funding the DHS agency that protects our hospitals, schools, and electrical systems from cyber attacks, you spent $200 million to buy yourself new private jets.”
The lawmaker also accused Noem of living lavishly at taxpayer expense. “And instead of paying your way like the rest of us, you’re living rent-free in a taxpayer-owned property that is supposed to be reserved for military leaders,” he said. “Every penny that you spend on yourself represents the blood, sweat, and tears of hardworking Americans who expect their tax dollars to be spent on homeland security, not promoting you and your interests.”
Thompson did not mince words when he highlighted the human cost of such alleged mismanagement. “Apparently, you haven’t noticed that regular people are suffering under President Trump’s affordability crisis. Or maybe you, like him, thinks it’s a hoax and just don’t care. Either way, such corrupt behavior hurts homeland security.”
He ended his opening statement with a direct challenge. “Rather than sitting here and wasting your time and ours, with more corruption, lies, and lawlessness, I call on you to resign,” Thompson said. “Do a real service to the country and just resign. That is, if President Trump doesn’t fire you first.”
The confrontation marked one of the most aggressive public criticisms of Noem to date, putting her squarely in the spotlight over her stewardship of the DHS and her alleged personal enrichment at the expense of national security priorities.
Watch the clip below:
